Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Missoula, MT
Issued by NWS Missoula, MT
330 FXUS65 KMSO 230810 AFDMSO Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Missoula MT 210 AM MDT Thu May 23 2024 ..HEAVY SNOW IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN ACROSS LEMHI COUNTY INTO SOUTHWEST AND WEST-CENTRAL MONTANA THIS MORNING... .DISCUSSION... Satellite imagery this morning is showing a well- formed midlevel circulation over Lemhi County and southwest Montana. This feature is pulling moisture up from the south and wrapping it back around into southwest Montana and central Idaho. Temperatures are cold enough for snow down to valley bottoms. The valleys will see some accumulation on grassy and elevated surfaces. Heavier accumulations will occur over about 5000 feet, where impacts due to snowfall rates over 1 inch per hour will include downed trees and potential for power outages. A Winter Storm Warning will remain in effect for the Butte/Blackfoot Region, the Bitterroot/Sapphire Mountains, and the Missoula and Bitterroot Valleys through this morning`s commute. There will be a break between systems to end the week, though the region will remain under a cool, showery pattern. Memorial Day weekend will start off on Saturday with another cutoff low moving into the region and causing high elevation snow. All guidance so far is pointing to an overall warmer system with a little less precipitation. So fewer snow impacts, but a cool and wet start to Memorial Day weekend. Conditions will improve through the weekend with above average temperatures by Monday. The pattern remains unsettled next week. Model ensembles are in good agreement for a 2 to 4 day period dominated by a ridge after the holiday weekend. && .AVIATION...Low pressure over southwest Montana is bringing widespread snow and rain showers to the Northern Rockies airspace this morning. Expect precipitation, heavy at times, to obscure terrain throughout southwest Montana and central Idaho and lower ceilings and visibility at KMSO, KBTM, KHRF, and KSMN through about 23/1800Z. Northwest winds to about 20 kts will accompany snow at KBTM through this morning. && .MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MT... Winter Storm Warning until 10 AM MDT this morning for Missoula/Bitterroot Valleys. Winter Storm Warning until noon MDT today for Bitterroot/Sapphire Mountains...Butte/Blackfoot Region. ID...Winter Weather Advisory until noon MDT /11 AM PDT/ today for Eastern Lemhi County...Southern Clearwater Mountains... Western Lemhi County. && $$