Significant weather pattern change beginning this weekend
Snow-covered cars are parked in Whitefish. (Pilot file photo)
It may be time to bring out the long underwear, as the National Weather Service (NWS) is expecting temperatures this weekend to be 20 to 25 degrees colder than during the week for northwest Montana.
The National Weather Service in Missoula also anticipates a cold front to move through the area on Saturday causing widespread precipitation with rain in the valleys and snow in the mountains. By Saturday night into Sunday, even valley locations could see accumulating snow.
NWS reports that precipitation appears to linger over north central Idaho into northwest Montana Saturday night as the precipitation transitions over to snow for most locations with accumulating snow expected on higher elevation roadways.
“Confidence is increasing for periods of winter driving conditions across area mountain passes, particularly for Lookout, Marias and Lolo passes,” the Weather Service warned in its Monday forecast.
A second system is anticipated for Monday into Tuesday causing more widespread precipitation and even more snow.
According to the National Weather Service, the mountains could get around a foot of snow Saturday afternoon through Sunday.