Winter storms could create dangerous travel conditions

A winter storm out of Canada is expected to bring heavy snow to valley locations for the first half of the week, followed by more snow and cold later this week.

The National Weather Service in Missoula is predicting the possibility of heavy snow and potentially dangerous travel conditions across northwest Montana. A winter storm watch is in effect for the Flathead Valley and Glacier National Park. Kalispell is predicted to see at least four inches of snow, but could see as much as 18 inches. The probability that Kalispell will get 6 inches to a foot of snow is 69 percent. Olney could see between 18 to 24 inches of snow through Wednesday.

“This is the first round of snowfall and the second round should come later in the week,” Meteorologist LeeAnn Allegretto said Monday morning.

Forecasters are predicting that a warm front of precipitation could develop across northwest Montana tonight with mountain seeing heavy, dense snow through Wednesday.

On Monday morning, the Flathead Avalanche Center issued an avalanche watch noting that the danger is “considerable” today above 5,000 feet and could rise to “high” tomorrow if the forecast pans out.

“A warm moist storm will be overloading a weak snowpack, and dangerous avalanche conditions are developing,” the advisory says. “Natural avalanche activity will become increasingly widespread as this system develops. Careful snowpack evaluation, cautious route finding and conservative decision making are essential.”

The National Weather Service says colder and drier air is expected to settle into the region on Thursday, but beginning Thursday night and lingering into the day Friday several inches of snow across much of the area could develop.

Heavy snow is expected above 4,000 feet and the valleys could pick up six inches of snow, Allegretto noted. Sustained winds of 30 mph hour with gusting up to 50 mph will make wind chill a factor.

Bitterly cold temperatures are expected to settle into the region for the weekend. By Christmas Eve and Christmas Day high temperatures are likely only to be in the single digits.

The forecasted high on Dec. 24 for Kalispell is 10 degrees, while Olney is expected to only reach 8 degrees.

“We will struggle to get out of the single temperatures,” Allegretto said. “That’s the trend including through Christmas.”