High Wind Warnings in Effect
High Wind Warnings are in effect for most of western Montana from midnight Wednesday night until 6 PM Thursday. Damaging wind gusts over 50 mph and isolated mountain gusts up to 80 mph are expected across the region.
The warnings cover several areas including the Kootenai/Cabinet Region, Flathead/Mission Valleys, Missoula/Bitterroot Valleys, Potomac/Seeley Lake Region, Butte/Blackfoot Region, and portions of central, north central, and southwest Montana.
Additional Weather Alerts
High Wind Watches are also in effect for the Livingston Area, Beartooth Foothills, Northern Stillwater, and several other regions. These watches indicate the potential for strong winds that could disrupt daily activities.
A powerful atmospheric river is set to impact the Northern Rockies from late Wednesday through Saturday, bringing not only strong winds but also heavy precipitation. Wind gusts of 60 to 80 mph are possible in eastern Montana on Thursday, with the storm potentially producing winds up to 95 mph along the Rocky Mountain Front.
Snowfall Expectations
In addition to high winds, the storm is expected to bring significant snowfall. Lower elevations may see 2-6 inches of wet snow, while the high country above 5,000 feet could receive 20-40 inches. The highest elevations of northwest and west-central Montana may experience up to 3-6 feet of snow.
Details remain unconfirmed regarding the exact timing and impact of the storm, but the atmospheric river is headed from the Pacific straight to Montana and the northern Rockies, leading to significant temperature fluctuations across the state.
