West of the Divide:

Late afternoon Tuesday I checked around the region’s Snotels and it was a bit surprising to see the Big Mountain (Whitefish) summit snotel picked up another 3” during the day making their 2-day total around 14”. In spot checks elsewhere around the region it looks like only a trace to an inch at most during Tuesday at Lost Trail and Lookout. High-pressure returns briefly on Wednesday albeit with a mix of clouds with slightly higher afternoon temps in the mid to upper 30’s. Wednesday night the clouds increase with snow showers by Thursday morning before snow levels rise to 5000’ (or above) Thursday afternoon with temps tipping out in the low 40’s. Whitefish and Lost Trail may squeak out 1-2” before the mixed precip arrives. Thursday night the colder air arrives with even thunderstorms possible at first but snow levels will quickly drop through the night into Friday morning with accumulations mainly across the NW areas with 1-3” at Lookout Pass and Blacktail with 2-4” possible at Whitefish and Turner Mountain by days end. Afternoon temps will roll back down Friday with highs in the low 30’s. The weekend looks to remain unsettled with unseasonably cold daytime temps with highs in the upper 20’s Saturday to the low 30’s Sunday. Most areas will experience snow showers with anywhere from 1-2” remotely possible each day. Next week the weather models are completely wacked so I cannot give you any idea except maybe it will continue unsettled. As always, I’ll be back soon with updates.

Some images of Monday's Epic Pow Day at Whitefish...and I heard Tuesday was almost as great! Pic's courtesy of WMR. 

  

East of the Divide:

High-pressure ridging on Wednesday looks to bring more clouds than sun at most places with perhaps a stray snow shower later in the day. Daytime highs will be warmer but still a tad cool in the low 30’s – especially at Big Sky. Things get a tad spring-like on Thursday with the passing of a weather system that looks to bring wet snow showers and high temps in the upper 30’s to low 40’s. I previously thought there might not be any accumulations on Thursday… but now 1-3” look possible at Big Sky and 2-4” further south at Maverick. Just about all other Eastside areas will not see any accumulating snow as this system only looks to affect the far SW. A short-wave system spinning south in eastern Idaho Thursday night will keep directing bits and pieces of moisture into the SW areas where another 2-4” are possible at Maverick and Big Sky by first chair Friday. Friday, things look to partially clear out across the entire region with mostly cloudy skies with a few sunny spells also possible at Bridger and Red Lodge. Look for continued mild temps Friday across the region with highs in the upper 30’s to low 40’s. Friday night through Sunday the weather looks to return to an unsettled, snow-showery pattern with much colder daytime high temps ranging from mid-20’s (Big Sky alpine) to around 30 elsewhere. Drier skies and warmer temps return early next week across the Eastside. Things could still change on this long term so stay tuned.

 

Graphic below shows how the short-wave low pressure system will dump most of its moisture on Idaho and Wyoming. We get the leftovers!

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

 

EAST of the Continental Divide

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