Weather
Great Divide Ski Area, MT saw 24-27″ of snow on Saturday and they went ‘summer powder skiing.’
Montana is forecast to see snow above 5,000′ all week this week.
Great Divide Ski Area currently has snow forecast everyday this week (see image below).
The word ‘snow’ shows up in NOAA’s forecast discussion about Montana 9 times today (see NOAA Forecast Discussion below).
“A strong cold front will push into the Northern Rockies, bringing cool, breezy and showery conditions to the area Monday through Tuesday.
While precipitation amounts will not be heavy, it could come in bursts, quickly reducing visibilities and causing slick driving conditions, especially in higher elevations above 5000 feet. Precipitation will likely be in the form of snow over mountain passes and in higher terrain, with a mix of rain, snow and graupel possible in the valleys.” – NOAA Missoula, MT yesterday
NOAA Forecast Discussion Excerpts:
.SYNOPSIS... An upper level trof of low pressure will approach the region today. As a result, expect increasing chances for lower elevation rain and mountain snow by late this afternoon over the Rocky Mountain front and across much of Southwest MT. A broad upper level trof of low pressure will then reside over the region Tuesday through Thursday...allowing for some passing rain or snow showers and below normal temperatures to prevail across the region. .DISCUSSION... Today through Tuesday night...Enough instability may exist Tuesday afternoon for a few lightning strikes or isolated rumbles of thunder, but nothing severe is expected. With low- to mid-level downslope flow persisting across the plains, shower/thunderstorm chances will be highest over the mountains of central and southwest Montana, where snow levels will drop to as low as 5500-feet elevation. Wednesday through Wednesday night... This will set up a potentially prime situation for widespread rain and mountain snow to develop especially across parts of southwest and southern parts of central Montana by late Wednesday into the overnight. This will bear watching for the potential for moderate to heavy snowfall rates over higher elevations south of Interstate 90 that could impact travel. CC Thursday through Monday... 700 mb temps will be in the -4 to -6 C range which will be cold enough for snow at about 6000 feet and higher...with accumulating snow likely above 7000 feet. Friday morning does see slightly cooler temperatures...possibly lowering snow levels to near 5000 feet and maybe lower to areas with heavier precipitation. Models currently indicating a few heavy areas of rain and perhaps snow are possible at times...mainly across the southwest and to the favored terrain in an easterly upslope flow across central portions.
