A WINTER STORM WARNING has been issued for central and northern Montana including Helena, Great Falls, Cut Bank and Havre from tonight into Thanksgiving.
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY has been issued for central and southwest Montana from Wednesday into Thanksgiving.
A WINTER STORM WATCH has been issued for all of eastern Montana for Friday into Saturday.
A HIGH WIND WARNING is in effect for northwest Montana.
A pair of big snow storms will hit Montana and a lot of the West through Thanksgiving and some of the busiest travel days of the year. Road conditions are already snowy and icy in parts of Montana and the "bad" weather has not even hit yet. Travelers should hit the road early on Wednesday as light snow will increase through the afternoon and evening. Temperatures will be cold in the 10s and 20s for highs. The wind will stengthen becoming an issue with the snow as visibility could be reduced to near zero across the Hi-Line closer to the Rocky Mountain Front. Central and eastern Montana will have less to little snow on Wednesday and Thanksgiving. Snow will accumulate a few inches into Thanksgiving day closer to the Continental Divide, with as much as 18" right on the Rocky Mountain Front. Thanksgiving will be cold and breezy as well, with highs only in the 10s and 20s. The worst travel will continue to be along the Continental Divide out into north-central Montana. However, another round of snow will increase across most of Montana east of the Continental Divide on Friday into Saturday. This time, the worst travel will be far eastern Montana but roads will continue to be snowy and icy for much of the state through Friday into Saturday. On Saturday, snow will taper off from west to east through the day. Sunday will be a much better travel day with partly cloudy skies and temperatures warming into the 20s and 30s. A milder weather pattern will develop for early next week.
Have a great day. Be safe. Happy Thanksgiving.
Curtis Grevenitz
