702
FXUS65 KMSO 290906
AFDMSO

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Missoula MT
206 AM MST Sat Nov 29 2025

.DISCUSSION...


KEY MESSAGES:

-  Possible lake-effect snow on the south end of Flathead Lake
   this morning.

-  The coldest temperatures of the season are expected this
   weekend.

-  Light snow tonight into Sunday morning, with more significant
   snow expected Monday night into Wednesday morning.

-  Overall, the weather will remain unsettled through the rest of
   the week.

The very cold air will continue to move into the Northern Rockies
through this weekend, causing the coldest temperatures of the
season. Valley locations north of I-90 will likely see patchy fog
early this morning.

Light northerly winds will continue across Flathead Lake. A few
mountain passes and canyons may maintain an easterly wind, keeping
wind chills colder. The cold air flowing over the warm open waters
could create lake-effect snow from the Narrows south to Polson
through this morning.

A weak weather system is anticipated to swing through the
Northern Rockies tonight into Sunday morning. This system is
expected to bring light snow to north-central Idaho and parts of
west-central Montana, with accumulations up to 2 inches in parts
of Idaho County.

Another weather system is expected to move southward out of Canada
across the Northern Rockies late Monday night into Wednesday
morning. Snow will likely fall down to the valley floors across
most of the region, allowing for light snow accumulations even in
the lower valleys of Idaho and Clearwater Counties. Minor to
moderate travel impacts are anticipated with this system: 3 to 5
inches of snow across area passes and 1 to 3 inches for valleys
north of I-90. Valleys for the rest of western Montana will
likely see a trace to 1 inch, including north-central Idaho
valleys (Orofino to Grangeville).

This active weather pattern is anticipated to continue through the
remainder of the week into next weekend.

&&

.AVIATION...Snowfall has largely ended across the Northern
Rockies this morning, leaving behind some of the coldest
temperatures the region has experienced this season. Locations
along and south of I-90 will keep a mid-level cloud deck through
mid-morning, before becoming partly cloudy with high clouds this
afternoon. Clearing skies overnight may result in patchy fog for
the valleys north of I-90, including KGPI through 29/1600Z this
morning. Another weather weather system will bring widespread very
light snow to the region tonight through early Sunday morning.


&&

.MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...None.
ID...None.
&&

$$