Current weather?

[PeteE]

Looks gloomy and cold on the Glacier webcams today. Lots of snow but I guess it's not new snow from what you are saying.

West Glacier did get a few inches overnight(judging by tire tracks by Eddie's), but nothing like they we're forecasting Thursday.
And there is a very light snow falling now here in WF.

The forecast was difficult because in storms like this, snowfall is dependent on just how far the cold air "intrudes" from the East via Marias and Logan passes.
The "deeper" the cold front coming down the east side of the divide from Alberta, the more cold air seeps across the divide going through the passes(low points).
We get our biggest snow dumps here on the West side when a very moist "river of air" from the SW ( @ ND ) slams into very cold air coming over the divide from the East.
It's like a giant version of spraying a water hose into VERY cold air.
Who gets how much snow depends on the timing and just where the "river of air" is pointed when it meets the cold air.

I'm pretty certain that the high country got a big dump above 5000ft or so. The cold air was always present up around the divide.

Snow can be "inconvenient" at times. I have to clean it up off and on each winter.
But snow is water, and water is life.
So we whine and gripe...and love it all the same

pete

[dpratt]

No snow overnight west of town at 3600' either. Coming down pretty good now though. The forecast has changed. It went from 12"+ to less than half that.

[PeteE]

No snow overnight west of town at 3600' either. Coming down pretty good now though. The forecast has changed. It went from 12"+ to less than half that.

Yeah, it began snowing harder here a little while ago. Barometer is steady. NO wind here at the moment.(Noon)
Temperature has risen 3F in the last hour though. The "warm air" is winning the battle of the air masses here in WF at the moment.
I'm afraid the snow will turn to rain.

pete

[daveparker]

We have picked up about an inch of snow today and it has be hovering right around 32 degree's so kind of a mix of stuff going on, Thursday they said I should expect 12-18 inches, but unless something changes, it is not going to happen.

[PeteE]

We've had 2-3 inches since about Noon here in Whitefish. 2-4 inches tonight.
If the wind gets up as predicted, it's going to be a pain cleaning up the snow at work.

The situation is complicated which is why they have a tough time with it.
Here's the latest.
West Glacier is now predicted to get hammered again.

Winter Storm Warning

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Missoula MT
1154 AM MST Sun Feb 4 2018

MTZ002-051500-
/O.EXP.KMSO.WW.Y.0015.000000T0000Z-180204T1900Z/
/O.NEW.KMSO.WS.W.0003.180204T1900Z-180205T1500Z/
West Glacier Region-
1154 AM MST Sun Feb 4 2018

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 AM MST MONDAY...
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL EXPIRE AT NOON MST TODAY...

* WHAT...Heavy snow expected. Pockets of freezing rain expected
this afternoon with gusty winds 35-45 mph Sunday night
expected. Total snow accumulations of 10 to 16 inches, with
localized amounts up to 22 inches, are expected.

* WHERE...Bad Rock Canyon, Essex, Highway 83 Bigfork to Swan
Lake, Marias Pass, and Polebridge, West Glacier.

* WHEN...For the Winter Storm Warning, until 8 AM MST Monday.
For the Winter Weather Advisory, at noon MST today.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Travel will be very difficult to impossible
Sunday night through Monday morning as gusty winds up to 35-45
mph are expected. Be prepared for significant reductions in
visibility at times.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Winter Storm Warning for snow means severe winter weather
conditions will make travel very hazardous or impossible. If you
must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food and water in your
vehicle in case of an emergency. The latest road conditions for
the state you are calling from can be obtained by calling 5 1 1.

&&

[teapot57]

Just got back inside from shoveling. We’ve had at least 12 inches of snow here in Calgary since Saturday morning, and it’s still coming down lightly. The snow is is piling up high In the front yard from clearing the driveway and sidewalks.

Snotel is showing above average SWE at Flattop and Many Glacier.

[Ear Mountain]

Some drizzle on the Front Friday afternoon turned to snow on Saturday. I skied in a foot of fresh powder along the South Fork of the Teton River on Sunday. More snow came Sunday night probably at least another foot of powder in the mountains. Here on the prairies a little east of the Front we got maybe 6-8 inches. Temp is 9 this morning. All is beautiful and snowy.

[dpratt]

West of Whitefish, the snow turned to sleet around 4:30pm local time yesterday, with little accumulation overnight. It is coming down hard now and we've picked up at least an inch in the last hour.

Since Friday we've seen 4" total, maybe over 5" including this morning.

[PeteE]

I doubt I'll be out taking pics this weekend!


000
FXUS65 KMSO 151030
AFDMSO

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Missoula MT
330 AM MST Thu Feb 15 2018

*** MAJOR WINTER STORM FOR WESTERN MONTANA THIS WEEKEND ***
*** HEAVY SNOW FOR NORTHWEST MONTANA ON SATURDAY ***

.DISCUSSION...Today will be a relatively quiet period while the
last system winds down with just some snow showers lingering
today.

Friday an upper level trough and weak warm front will overrun the
cold air mass currently over the Northern Rockies. The overrunning
will continue on Saturday, and then be followed by yet another
back door cold front and arctic air mass on Sunday. For the second
night in a row model forecasts have trended wetter for this three
day period. Main points are:

* Friday the Clearwater, Bitterroot, southern Mission, and Swan
mountains will receive around a foot of snow with much less at
lower elevations. Valleys will receive a few inches of snow.

* Saturday will have the heaviest mountain snow with the central
Idaho and northwest Montana mountains getting 1 to 3 feet of
snow in 24 hours.

* Saturday most northwest Montana valleys could see 9 to 12 inches
of snow, with some locations getting more. Missoula, the
Bitterroot valley and Butte will see 2 to 5 inches of snow
depending on location.

* Saturday the heavy snow will be accompanied by strong westerly
winds gusting 40 to 50 mph for the mountain locations, which
when combined with the snow will cause dangerous conditions in
the back country and exacerbate avalanche conditions.

* Sunday snow amounts will decrease as the cold air and arctic
arrive, but...

* Sunday winds will switch to easterly with the back door cold
front and gust over 40 mph.

* Monday through Tuesday will be very cold, with sub-zero lows
likely Tuesday morning.

One major concern with all of this is for newborn livestock as
calving season is starting. Especially south of I-90 where higher
snow levels Saturday may lead to a rain snow mix, or just a heavy
wet snow ahead of the very cold conditions early next week.

Wednesday through the end of next week be showery as temperatures
slowly climb back into the 20s across western Montana again.

[PeteE]

The forecast for West Glacier is the same except more snowfall...12-18"+
I think I'll stay home Saturday.

pete


Winter Storm Warning

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Missoula MT
253 PM MST Fri Feb 16 2018

MTZ003-172200-
/O.UPG.KMSO.WS.A.0004.180217T1800Z-180219T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KMSO.WS.W.0008.180217T1800Z-180219T0000Z/
/O.EXB.KMSO.WW.Y.0020.180216T2153Z-180217T0600Z/
Flathead/Mission Valleys-
253 PM MST Fri Feb 16 2018

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM MST THIS
EVENING...
...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM SATURDAY TO 5 PM MST
SUNDAY...

* WHAT...Periods of moderate to heavy snow expected this afternoon
and evening. Snow accumulations 2 to 4 inches are expected.
Heavy snow and blowing snow expected Saturday and Sunday. Total
snow accumulations of 8 to 12 inches are expected. Gusty winds
will develop Saturday evening. Blizzard conditions are likely
Saturday night through Sunday morning. A flash freeze of
roadways Saturday night may create very icy conditions. Travel
may become hazardous to impossible, especially through the
Flathead Valley and Badrock Canyon.

* WHERE...Flathead Lake, Flathead Valley, Mission Valley, and
Polson.

* WHEN...For the Winter Storm Warning, from 11 AM Saturday to 5
PM MST Sunday. For the Winter Weather Advisory, until 11 PM
MST this evening.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Travel will be very difficult to
impossible. Winds gusting as high as 50 mph will cause
widespread blowing and drifting snow. Trees branches may fall.
Cold wind chills as low as 15 below zero could result in
hypothermia if precautions are not taken. Be prepared for
reduced visibilities.

[teapot57]

Winter is not letting up! That’s ok- I’m glad for the above average SWE.

Stay safe and warm!

[dpratt]

I think I'll stay home Saturday.

Good idea. I'm doing the same. The snow has already started again in earnest here, even though the severe weather watch doesn't start until 11:00am local.

It snowed most of the day yesterday, accumulating to roughly 4"-5" here.

[PeteE]

I think I'll stay home Saturday.

Good idea. I'm doing the same. The snow has already started again in earnest here, even though the severe weather watch doesn't start until 11:00am local.

It snowed most of the day yesterday, accumulating to roughly 4"-5" here.

Hey Doug:

I lied!
I went out this morning to the Super1 for some vittles and Sportsman's Skihaus to see what they had on sale.
Arcteryx winter jacket of some kind...kinda light one at that...on sale for only $411.00...it was like $549.00 before.
Gee, who buys this stuff?
Is it really that much better that less expensive brands?

We got 2-3 inches here at my place yesterday.
Started snowing this morning around 8AM right after daylight.
My barometer has nose dived from 29.86inHg to 29.38 in the last 12 hours.
Wind is light from generally the west as of this post. Temperature is 28F--warm(ish)

The real fun will begin when the barometer bottoms out and begins rising when the wind shifts to NE to East.
Things gonna jump ugly then if you're outside.
Temperatures will go below zero Monday AM here in the Flathead.
And Tuesday AM temps, not wind chills, are forecast to be -23F to -35F for West Glacier and Polebridge respectively.

Next time I get to lake McDonald, I'm betting it will have considerable ice coverage.
I'll be wearing my long jammies fer sure!
https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.p ... oiyvudG3IW

I feel for the husband of our "Gal Friday" in the office.
He drives a plow for the state on US93 between Whitefish and Stryker--an area you know well.
I'm sure he'll be getting some OT this weekend.
Nothing new for him though. He's a lifelong resident of Whitefish and a good man.

Looking due North out of my den window. Big Mountain, if you could see it, is about 5 miles behind the aspens.
There is 3feet plus of "settled" snow outside my window now....closer to 4-5feet close to the building.
I feed my crow buddies, the magpies and OwOw the raven from this window

pete

So did the ground hog see his shadow a couple weeks ago ?

[dpratt]

Arcteryx has always been pretty pricey stuff. I'm sure it is good, but probably not more than twice as good as other brands.

As of this post, we've hit a lull in the snow...at least for now. Based on the forecast we're far from done. I don't mind the snow - I am not looking forward to the stupid-cold temps that are heading our way tomorrow through the middle of next week.

Here is a pano of my front yard. For perspective, the big pile to the right of the sidewalk is about 5' high. I'm running out of room to put the snow from my sidewalk. I haven't cleared my drive yet...figured I'd wait until it is done and clear it tomorrow. I just make sure to shove the sidewalk, etc. every couple of hours to keep it easy.

[daveparker]

Arcteryx has always been pretty pricey stuff. I'm sure it is good, but probably not more than twice as good as other brands.

As of this post, we've hit a lull in the snow...at least for now. Based on the forecast we're far from done. I don't mind the snow - I am not looking forward to the stupid-cold temps that are heading our way tomorrow through the middle of next week.

Here is a pano of my front yard. For perspective, the big pile to the right of the sidewalk is about 5' high. I'm running out of room to put the snow from my sidewalk. I haven't cleared my drive yet...figured I'd wait until it is done and clear it tomorrow. I just make sure to shove the sidewalk, etc. every couple of hours to keep it easy.

I have given up for the time being!