Below: Powder-palooza at Lookout Pass on Friday. With 42" this week, it was a deep day with excellent coverage. Image/Lookout Pass 

West of the Continental Divide: 

A cold ridge of high-pressure has settled across the region on Saturday but will be short-lived as moisture associated with a Pacific low-pressure system will begin flowing into the Northern Rockies starting Sunday night. Models are indicating a storm track favoring areas along and south of the I-90 corridor (Lookout, Snowbowl, Disco, Lost Trail) this time for light snow amounts (3 – 5”) through Monday evening. Just a note that Lookout Pass has been in the cross hairs of a majority of the storm systems this season with 104” of cumulative snowfall since October 20th. 

As the Pacific low-pressure system moves inland from the Oregon Coast late Monday it will draw a backdoor arctic cold front east to west across the Divide. This cold air will interact with a stream of weak waves of moisture being fed by a NW flow aloft bringing chances of consistent light snowfall Monday night through Wednesday. Widespread daily light accumulations of 1 – 2” are likely on Tuesday and Wednesday. Temps through Wednesday will continue to be well below seasonal averages. This winter just keeps on giving. 

East of the Continental Divide:

Shout out to Maverick Mountain who officially kicked off the 22/23 season today (Saturday 12/3) with a nice 7” snowfall over the last few days. If you haven’t ridden the ‘White Thunder’, then you owe a visit to this real deal cowboy of a mountain west of Dillon with 2100’ vert.  
  
After a chilly morning on Saturday, weak high-pressure along with SW winds will usher in much warmer air for Saturday afternoon through Sunday. Mostly sunny skies will reign on Saturday, but Sunday will start off partly sunny with clouds increasing from the SW by noon in advance of our next storm system. High temps across the region will rise into the ‘tropical zone’ in the low to mid 20’s at 8000’ on both Saturday and Sunday. Light and variable SW winds through the weekend. 

As a Pacific low-pressure system moves into Central Idaho and tracks into SW Montana during the mid-afternoon hours on Sunday, snow showers develop along the frontal boundary at Big Sky and Bridger Bowl where trace amounts to an inch are possible by last chair. Periods of snow continue Sunday night with an additional 3 – 5” likely by Monday morning for these resorts (Bridger opens 12/9). Red Lodge could see 1 – 2”. 

As the storm system begins to clear out Monday morning across SW Montana it will transition to snow showers possibly adding another inch or two at Big Sky and Bridger. The system will move out of SW Montana in a N/NE direction bringing moderate chances (40%) of 2 – 4” for Central locations such as Showdown and Great Divide by Monday evening. Colder on Monday with highs in the low to middle teens at 8000’ on Monday. 

A Canadian low-pressure system moving south out of the Alberta prairies will bring a 60% chance of moderate snowfall across mainly the Rocky Mountain Front and the North Central mountains. Accumulations begin late Monday night and continue through the day on Tuesday with 4 – 6” possible at Showdown and Teton Pass Ski Area, with 2 – 4” at Great Divide. Clouds and flurries with a skiff Tuesday at Bridger and Big Sky. High-pressure elbows back in on Wednesday for a sunny and cool day across the Eastside.  

Below: Euro model below for projected snowfall across Montana. This animation starts at 8AM Sunday morning and shows the leading edge of the storm system approaching from the SW with snow likely across SW Montana by noon Sunday. It spreads through the region Sunday night and Monday. Another system brings snow to the Rocky Mountain Front as well as North Central mountain areas on Tuesday. 

West and East of the Continental Divide: 

Some agreement amongst the weather models for a ridge of high pressure to establish itself over the Northern Rockies next Thursday with a generally benign weather pattern through next weekend. That said, Montana is a big place and there is a good probability (40 – 50%) of daily light snow accumulations Thursday through next weekend for far NW Montana (yep, Lookout Pass, Turner Mountain) best positioned under a NW flow aloft. Temps also look to stay below the seasonal average(s) across the Treasure State.     

Below: GEFS Ensemble - middle ground with the extended model runs shows NW Montana favored next Thursday - Saturday for light accumulations. SW Montana is expected to remain mostly dry but may see a few flurries on Friday 12/9. Still a ways out, so keep checking back. 

Thanks for tuning in, my next update will be on Monday,12/5.  

Powder Out – 

Bob

OPENING Dates - Montana Ski Areas & Resorts / Geographical References   

WEST of the Divide: 

Whitefish Mountain Resort – Closed, Opening Thursday, Dec 8th

Blacktail Mountain –Closed, Opening TBA

Turner Mountain – Closed, Opening TBA

Lookout Pass (MT/ID)  - OPEN Nov. 28, closed midweek, REOPENS Dec 2nd

Montana Snowbowl – Closed, Opening Dec 10th

Discovery Basin – OPEN WEEKENDS ONLY    

Lost Trail Powder Mountain –OPENING Thurs DEC 1^st (Thurs – Sun)     

EAST of the Divide:

Big Sky Resort – OPEN daily

Bridger Bowl – Closed, Opening Dec 9th

Red Lodge Mountain – OPEN daily  

Great Divide – REOPENING Dec. 3 – 4^th  

Showdown – REOPENING – Dec. 3 – 4^th

Teton Pass Ski Area –Closed, Opening Dec 9th

Maverick Mountain – OPEN weekends 

 

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

 

Estimated Snow Reports

If ski resort locations are closed or do not provide OpenSnow with an official snow report, we use our proprietary weather data to provide an estimated snow report for the past 24 hours. Check for the "Estimated" badge on the OpenSnow app and website.

This also applies to any backcountry location or "custom location", meaning that you can get an idea of recent snow conditions and an estimated snowfall history for your favorite backcountry spots.

This data is available exclusively to All-Access subscribers. Snow reports that are provided to OpenSnow from the ski resorts will always be free.