West of the Divide:

Snow showers will come to an end this morning across the southern end of the forecast area (Lost Trail Pass) and provide a few sunny spells this afternoon. Elsewhere sunny skies with a few broken clouds will prevail. A weak cold front advances Monday from south to north and will bring snow showers across the southern end of the region. Areas north of I-90 will see generally sunny skies with seasonal daytime high’s in the low to mid 30’s. Monday night the cold front advances north and Whitefish may see a skiff to an inch overnight with maybe another inch or two during the day Tuesday. Snow showers will be widespread across the region Tuesday with the advance of a southwest flow with high temps about 5-10 degrees warmer than Monday. Snow levels look to rise to around 5000-5500’ on Tuesday night with this southwest flow.

East of the Divide:

Sunday night into Monday a stalled cold front will slowly redevelop as a warm front and push northward throughout the day Monday into Monday night. Big Sky may hear a clap of thunder Monday afternoon as this occluded front advances through SW Montana and brings bouts of heavy snow showers with 3-6” likely by last chair Monday at Big Sky, Bridger and possibly Maverick to the far south. Red Lodge also looks to get in on the action with around 2” possible on Monday. Elsewhere in the region, snow showers with no real accumulations. Monday night into Tuesday, snow showers will continue throughout SW Montana but will lose intensity with perhaps an inch or two possible at the resorts. High temps will cool to near normal on Monday but return to slightly above average Tuesday when warmer air to moves back into the region.

 

West of the Divide:

Pretty easy spring forecast as all models are carrying a rather dominant southwest flow well into this coming weekend. Several short-wave disturbances will be ushered in on this flow bringing unsettled weather keeping snow showers (perhaps 1-2” daily) in the forecast through Saturday. Mountain daytime high temperatures will be generally near seasonable readings.

East of the Divide:

Tuesday night short lived high-pressure builds in East of the Divide and clears most of the snow showers out of the forecast with some cold mountain low temps. By Wednesday morning this ridge shifts east across the plains allowing an active southwesterly flow to set up and bring in its first disturbance (of many) into mainly SW Montana. Wednesday will warm rapidly with this southwesterly flow and snow levels will likely rise to around 7000’ with 1-2” above at Big Sky mainly. Currently these disturbances are also forecasted to impact the region on Thursday and Friday night into Saturday morning. Mountain daytime high temps look to be slightly above seasonal averages with mid to upper 30’s above 8500’ and upper 30’s to low 40’s from 7000’-8500’.

Backcountry Reports:

 

West Central Montana Avalanche Center

http://missoulaavalanche.org 

 

Flathead Avalanche Center

 http://www.flatheadavalanche.org

 

Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center:

http://www.mtavalanche.com

 

Geography Key :

 WEST of the Continental Divide

Montana Snowbowl, Discovery Basin, Lost Trail Powder Mountain, Lookout Pass, Whitefish Mountain Resort, Blacktail Mountain, Turner Mountain, Marias Pass/Glacier NP, Jewel Basin

 

EAST of the Continental Divide

Big Sky Resort, Bridger Bowl, Red Lodge, Maverick Mountain, Great Divide, Showdown, Teton Pass