WEST of the Continental Divide:

The ridge of high-pressure will deliver partly sunny skies across the region Sunday and MLK Monday along with slightly above seasonal daytime temperatures.  

As a NW flow develops Monday a weak system moving out of BC will bring light snow showers first across NW Montana Monday night and spreading through the rest of the region on Tuesday with 1 – 3” possible for most ski areas/resorts. Cooler air will filter into the region as well as daytime high temps across upper mountain elevations will range from 20 to 25 degrees.

With an unsettled NW flow, expect cloudy skies with off and on periods of light snow showers to continue daily Wednesday through Friday with 1-2” possible each 24-hours for most locations. Upper mountain temps will stay seasonable in low to mid-20’s both days. 

EAST of the Continental Divide:

Not much change to the forecast as a dominant ridge will bring sunny skies and above average mountain temps to all areas and resorts Sunday and Monday. Winds will be light and variable Sunday with moderate W/SW winds on MLK Day Monday with gusts to 35 mph across the ridgetops. Teton Pass Ski Area will see west winds in the high category on Monday.  

The dominant ridge of high-pressure breaks down Monday night as a NW flow brings in light snow showers by Tuesday morning. The incoming BC moisture will focus across the central parts of the region from Teton Pass (open Fri-Sun) and Great Divide (open Weds-Sun) to Showdown (open Weds-Sun) to Bridger Bowl (open daily) Tuesday and Tuesday night. These areas can pick up a cumulative 3 – 6” by Wednesday morning. Lesser amounts of 1 -2” at Big Sky, and Red Lodge. Temps drop back into seasonal levels Tuesday.  

The NW flow continues to bring in weak impulses with occasional snow showers likely across the region on Wednesday along with continued cool daytime temps. Trace amounts up to 2” are possible for most locations excluding Red Lodge.

A brief break in the cloudy/showery conditions on Thursday with mostly sunny skies along with temps warming back to slightly above seasonal averages. Thursday night into Friday our next low-pressure system moves into the region out of BC bringing light snowfall through the day on Friday. This system appears to gain strength as it moves over the Divide into Central and SW Montana and models are indicating snowfall of 3 – 6” possible by end of day Friday for Showdown, Big Sky and Bridger. Lesser amounts 1 – 3” for all other areas including Red Lodge.  

Below: Most recent run of the Euro weather model animation for snowfall over Montana from Monday night through Friday 1/21. At this point it looks like snow will fall heaviest along the Continental Divide, along the Idaho border, and across the Central/SW parts East of the Divide. 

   

Below: Local Whitefish shredder Riley Arendt cleared for takeoff during a foggy morning on the Big Mountain. Images: Connor Arendt 

 

  

WEST of the Continental Divide:

Wish I had better news, but a high consensus of the most current weather model runs has depicted a high-pressure “blocking” pattern where the high-pressure ridge is kept in place by partially stationary low-pressure system(s). Essentially it stays in place for an extended period blocking storms north and south of the Northern Rockies. This is looking somewhat probable Saturday (1/22) well into  the following week.    

EAST of the Continental Divide:

The high-pressure block I talked about in the Westside’s extended forecast will also apply to the Eastside’s extended as well. Look for dry conditions along with valley inversions with above average mountain temps through Tuesday of the following week. Keep checking back for updates as extended forecasts change rapidly in the Northern Rockies’s regions.

Below: Latest GFS Ensemble long range forecast animation across the PNW/Northern Rockies Saturday 1/22 through Friday 1/28 shows "stacked" high-pressure blocking all storms into the region for an extended period. Let's hope it's wrong. 

Powder Out --

Bob 

Montana Ski Areas & Resorts / Geographical References   

WEST of the Divide: 

Whitefish Mountain Resort – Open Daily

Blacktail Mountain –Open  (Weds – Sun)

Turner Mountain – Open (Fri – Sun only)  

Lookout Pass (MT/ID)  - Open Daily

Montana Snowbowl – Open Daily

Discovery Basin – Open Daily

Lost Trail Powder Mountain – Open (Thurs-Mon)

EAST of the Divide:

Big Sky Resort – Open  Daily  

Bridger Bowl – Open Daily

Red Lodge Mountain – Open Daily

Great Divide – Open (Weds-Sun)

Showdown –  Open (Weds-Sun)

Teton Pass Ski Area –Open (Fri-Sun)  

Maverick Mountain – Open (Fri-Sun)     

Backcountry Avalanche 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

PS – We are going to make some significant changes to OpenSnow. If you’re an All-Access subscriber (thank you!), you’ll see no changes. If you are not an All-Access subscriber, here is an FAQ with more details about the upcoming changes, and we hope that eventually, we’ll earn your support. You’ll begin to see these changes via our website on Monday, December 13 and later in the OpenSnow app.