A WINTER STORM WARNING is in effect for the Rocky Mountain Front, the East Glacier area, the Little Belt Mountains and the Highwood Mountains.
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY is in effect for most of Montana.
A WIND CHILL ADVISORY is in effect for north central Montana.
Happy Meteorological Winter! December 1st is the beginning of Meteorological Winter which is a little different than the astronomical seasons. In the weather-world the winter months consist of December, January and February. Spring is March, April and May. Summer is June, July and August. Fall...September, October and November. And right on que, a potent snow storm is moving across the state with moderate to heavy snow. Snow accumulation has ranged from an inch or two to as much as 12" in the East Glacier area. A swath of moderate to heavy snow is moving through central Montana, reducing visibility and making for difficult travel. Snow will wind down through Thursday night into Friday morning from west to east. Up to 3-4" of additional accumulation is possible in this band and in the mountains. Highs on Friday will generally be in the 10s with some 0s farther north but skies will become mostly sunny. There may be a few mountain snow showers. The snowy weather will take a break this weekend which will be partly to mostly sunny. One issue will be strong wind and blowing snow across the plains and up on the Continental Divide. The valleys of western Montana including Helena should not have any wind. Sunday will start out mostly sunny but clouds will increase from the southwest by afternoon. A new storm will spread snow in southwest Montana through the afternoon, slowly moving north through the evening and into the night. This low pressure along with a Canadian cold front should produce widespread light snow on Monday. This frontal boundary will linger with areas of light snow through Tuesday. The beginning of December looks stormy with periods of wind, snow and cold, so no rest for the weary.
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
