Advisory Archive
In the past 24 hours the mountains around West Yellowstone have picked up 2 inches of new snow while the northern Madison range and mountains around Cooke City received and an inch. A moist westerly flow will bring strong winds and continued snow showers to our region throughout the day. This moisture will give the southern mountains an additional 1-3 inches while the northern Madison and Gallatin ranges along with the Bridgers will pick up 1-2 inches. Strong westerly winds will reach 20-30 mph on the ridgetops while the lower elevations will see calmer winds at 10-15 mph. Temperatures will remain above average with daytime highs reaching the upper thirties and nighttime lows sinking into the teens. As a weak high pressure begins to build on Friday we can expect cooler and drier conditions.
Since yesterday morning the mountains near Cooke City received an additional 5 inches of snow, the mountains near West Yellowstone and the southern Madison Range received 2-4 inches, and the mountains near Big Sky received 2 inches while the Bridger Range remained dry. With this snow came strong SW winds blowing 20-30 mph. This morning at 4 a.m. winds have calmed to 10-20 mph with temperatures ranging from the high teens to low 20s F.
Today a moist southwesterly flow will bring more snow and 15-20 mph SW winds with temperatures in the mid 20s F. Mountains near Cooke City will receive 3-5 inches, West Yellowstone and Big Sky 2-3 inches, and the mountains near Bozeman will get about 1 inch of new snow.
Yesterday, scattered showers dropped 1-2 inches in the southern mountains and a trace to 1 inch in the north. Westerly winds were strong at 20-30 mph and are getting even stronger as the arctic front finally leaves. Everyone in the northern areas was held hostage to this frigid air, but now we're free to warm up and stretch our legs. Currently, mountain temperatures are 14F, 10-15 degrees warmer than the past few days. For the next 24 hours winds are expected to blow west to southwest at 20-40 mph. Snowfall will be limited to the southern mountains with 1-2 inches falling around West Yellowstone and 2-4 inches outside Cooke City.
Last night a fast moving system dropped 2 inches in town and in the mountains around Bozeman while 6 inches fell at the Yellowstone Club and Lone Peak. The southern mountains picked up another 4-6 inches outside West Yellowstone with closer to 10 inches near Cooke City. Mountain temperatures are in the single digits to teens with strong 20-30 mph winds out of the west. Lulu Pass outside Cooke City is extra windy with gusts measuring 40-50 mph. Under mostly cloudy skies a few lingering snow showers will drop 1-2 inches in the south as winds continue from the west.
Montana is under the influence of two powerful weather systems. At 4 a.m. this morning the mountains around Cooke City have received a total of 16" of new snow. The southern Gallatin and Madisons have received 6-12" with most snowfall being around West Yellowstone. Only a trace has fallen in the northern areas. Winds for these areas are strong out of the W-SW at 20-25 mph and will continue throughout today. An additional 6" will accumulate by tomorrow morning in the southern ranges. Big Sky will pick up 2-4 inches by tomorrow while the northern Gallatin Range and Bridgers will only receive a trace.
Wow - I spent a majority of yesterday outside and could feel my hands and feet the entire time. It's amazing how 15 degrees can feel like a heat wave. The next few days will keep the warm spell going with high temperatures extending into the mid to high twenties with Lows dropping into the teens. Winds and precipitation will be mixed depending on your location. Far southern Montana will be in a moist southwesterly flow with 4-6 inches of snow possible by Sunday afternoon. Winds in the south will be strong out of the W-SW at 20-30 mph. In the northern Gallatin and Madison Ranges along with the Bridgers conditions will remain drier with winds out of the west at 15-25 mph. 1-3 of snow can be expected in these ranges by Sunday afternoon. The Bridgers did receive a trace of new snow overnight.
This morning mountain temperatures are a few degrees above zero F with winds blowing 10-25 mph and gust up to 35 mph generally from the west and slightly southwest. The Gallatin and Madison Ranges received a trace to 2 inches of snow and the mountains near Cooke City received 2-3 inches. Currently more cold air is descending from Canada while pacific moisture is moving up from central and northern California. Neither of these systems will affect southwest Montana today, and temperatures will climb into the mid teens under partly cloudy skies. Westerly ridgetop winds will remain strong blowing up to 25 mph. By tomorrow morning the tip of this Pacific moisture will reach West Yellowstone depositing an inch of snow with snowfall continuing through the day.
With recent temperatures dipping into negative double digits, a mere -5 degrees F seemed relatively warm as I walked into the office this morning. Mountain temperatures were near -10 degrees F this morning except near Cooke City where they were -20 degrees F. Winds have been blowing 15-30 mph from the west northwest and will continue at those speeds today with temperatures warming to just above zero. Since yesterday morning snow showers produced a trace to one inch of new snow, and today some snow may fall but will not accumulate.