NOAA has issued it’s very first Winter Storm Watch of the 2016/17 winter season today.  

The Winter Storm Watch is for southern Montana.

NOAA is calling for 12-18″ of snow for Montana Monday & Tuesday.

* SNOW ACCUMULATION...12 TO 18 INCHES POSSIBLE...GREATEST ABOVE
  8000 FEET. - NOAA Missoula, MT today

NOAA is forecasting snow levels to drop as low as 4,000-feet.

“Scattered showers are expected over the region later today. The showers will turn to a steady rain and snow by Monday afternoon, especially for elevations above 7000 feet. As colder air moves into the region on Monday night, snow levels could fall to around 4000 feet by Tuesday morning. Thus, significant snow accumulations are possible for portions of the region.” – NOAA Great Falls, MT today

WINTER STORM WATCH for MONTANA:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT
251 AM MDT SUN OCT 2 2016

ABSAROKA/BEARTOOTH MOUNTAINS-CRAZY MOUNTAINS-
INCLUDING THE LOCATIONS OF...COOKE CITY

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH
TUESDAY AFTERNOON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BILLINGS HAS ISSUED A WINTER
STORM WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH
TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

* IMPACTS...HEAVY SNOWFALL WILL MAKE OUTDOOR RECREATION DIFFICULT
  OR IMPOSSIBLE IN THE HIGH COUNTRY. BEARTOOTH PASS WILL BE
  IMPACTED BY ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL.

* TIMING...MONDAY AND TUESDAY.

* SNOW ACCUMULATION...12 TO 18 INCHES POSSIBLE...GREATEST ABOVE
  8000 FEET.

* WINDS...WEST TO NORTHWEST GUSTS TO 40 MPH WILL CAUSE BLOWING
  SNOW OVER THE HIGH PEAKS.