Advisory Archive
It’s cold. This morning temperatures were near -20 degrees F, and winds were barely blowing. Unfortunately today will have some clouds and high temperatures will struggle to reach the negative single digits. Winds will increase from the SW and blow 10-15 mph which will feel like a lot with such cold temperatures. There’s a chance for snow today but no accumulation.
No new snow fell yesterday, but storm totals since Sunday are impressive. Most places received a total of 10-15 inches of new snow while Cooke City received over 2 feet. Cold weather is the story this morning with temperatures in the negative teens F and northerly winds blowing 10 mph and gusting to 15 mph. On Lionhead near West Yellowstone, winds were blowing 10-15 mph and gusting to 25 mph from the NNW. Today, there will be some sunshine but high temperatures will only reach the negative single digits F and maybe 0 F if we’re lucky. Fortunately winds should lessen a bit through the day and only blow 5-10 mph by this afternoon.
Cooke City has gotten over a foot and a half of new snow since yesterday morning. The southern Madison and Lionhead area are showing six to eight inches. The Big Sky area has nine inches since late Saturday night while the northern Gallatin and Bridger Ranges have about two inches of new. Winds are out of the west averaging 20-30 mph with gusts hitting 50 mph at the ridgelines. Temperatures are in the high 20’s which will look like a heat wave compared to tomorrow morning. An arctic cold front is coming early this evening which will last through the weekend bringing low temperatures of -5 to -10 and highs only reaching the single digits. Snow will continue ahead of the front and by tomorrow morning the southern mountains could get another 8-10 inches with 6-8 inches around Big Sky and 3-6 inches near Bozeman.
Our last snows were a week ago and since then we have been under sunny skies. This morning brings more of the same with temperatures in the high 20s and light winds of 10-20 mph out of the west to southwest. Daytime highs will reach the upper thirties. This quiet weather pattern will continue until late Sunday when cold, snowy weather drops down from Canada. The weather models predict a foot of snow falling in the mountains, but since the storm is still four days away my confidence level is low.
This morning mountain temperatures were in the mid to upper 20s F and valley temperatures were in the teens F. West Yellowstone once again had valley temperatures drop below zero F. Winds in the mountains near Bozeman were blowing WNW at 10-15 mph and gusting 20-25 mph. Further south winds were blowing 10 mph and gusting 15 mph. Sunshine and clear skies will be the weather for today with temperatures rising into the mid to upper 30s F. Ridgetop winds will blow from the NW at 15-25 mph. Dry weather should continue through Thanksgiving.
The last snowfall occurred Wednesday. Since then the weather has been clear, cold, and calm. This morning is no exception with winds blowing 5-10 mph and mountain temperatures in the low 20s F. Valley temperatures were in the single digits F in most places and below zero F in West Yellowstone. Clear sunny skies this morning will quickly bring temperatures into the 30s F and winds will remain light. A ridge of high pressure will keep dry weather in our forecast for the next week.
Yesterday's storm was significant. The mountains around West Yellowstone and Cooke City as well as the Bridger Ranged picked up around one inch of SWE totaling close to a foot of snow. The northern Madison Range and northern Gallatin Range received 7-10 inches of new snow while Carrot Basin SNOTEL site in the southern Madison Range squeezed out 4-5 inches. Currently, mountain temperatures are in the single digits and winds are blowing 5-10 mph out of the NNE. Today, temperatures will warm into the 20s under partly cloudy skies and winds will shift to the WSW blowing 5-10 mph. A ridge of high pressure will build over the region producing clear skies and warmer temperatures over the next few days.
Snowfall started late Friday night and continued through Saturday. Many places received 9-14 inches of new snow since Friday night except the northern Gallatin Range which only received a few inches. SNOTEL sites were unavailable this morning, and exact storm totals are unknown. Strong winds accompanied this storm. Ridgetop winds averaged 10-20 mph generally from the west with gusts of 35 mph. Temperatures this morning were near 10 degrees F and should warm into the high teens F. Today winds shouldn’t change much and may increase over the next few days. Most snowfall ended last night, and the next chance for snow will be Tuesday.
Snow and cold temperatures return to southwest Montana this weekend after a week of dry, warm weather. A Canadian cold front arrives mid-day Saturday. Westerly winds will increase to 40 mph, temperatures will drop and snow will fall from Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning. Snowfall amounts are not as impressive as I had hoped. In the northern mountains three to four inches could fall with closer to six inches around West Yellowstone and Cooke City.
We are welcoming all this new snow with open arms. In the last 24 hours the mountains of southwest Montana picked up three to four inches of dense snow. Cooke City, never to be outdone, received an inch of SWE which equals almost a foot of new snow at the upper elevations. Mountain temperatures are in the mid-teens and will rise to near 40F over the next few days. Winds have been strong out of the west to northwest and averaging 20-30 mph with gusts hitting the 50s. Today will remain windy, but die down over the weekend. Other than another inch or two of more snow this morning, the weekend looks to be cloudy with no significant storms.
