Bitter cold, more snow in forecast

After a comparatively balmy Thanksgiving holiday in north-central Montana, winter is expected to return to Montana with a vengeance this week.

National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for most of the state — the southeastern corner has a milder winter storm advisory — with highs expected below zero later in the week, heavy snow forecast for the north-central Montana plains and treacherous driving conditions predicted by tonight.

AccuWeather.com and The Weather Channel also predict bitter cold and snow this week.

Snow was likely in this region by late this morning, according to the Weather Service forecast, which predicts a 90 percent probability of snow after 11 a.m., with the temperature expected to drop rapidly causing a high chance of icy roads and blowing snow, with windchills adding a warning of frostbite occurring within 30 minutes.

Through Tuesday night, the warning for Blaine, Chouteau, Hill and Liberty counties predicts 10 to 16 inches of new snow in the mountains with 5 to 9 inches forecast in the lower elevations and wind chills feeling like minus 15 to minus 30 degrees.

As the wind shifts from the west to the north, Weather Service warns, blowing and drifting snow will cause visibility to drop to a quarter mile or less with near-whiteout conditions.

While the snow is expected to drop off later in the week, with a chance of snow showers back in the forecast Sunday, Weather Service predicts bitterly cold temperatures to continue through the week. The forecast calls for highs in the single digits or below zero through the weekend and lows dropping to 10 below zero Tuesday and 20 below zero and colder through the weekend.

The warning advises people to travel only in an emergency, and to keep a flashlight, food and water in their vehicle in case of problems in traveling.

What the rest of the winter season will bring is anyone’s guess, with different agencies and farmers almanacs making different predictions as to how cold and snowy it will be. Weather Service and Weather Channel are straight up about the uncertainty — no forecast as to whether it will be an average, more severe or milder-than-average winter can be made with certainty for north-central Montana, they said.

Have any event cancellations or rescheduling due to the weather? Let us know at [email protected], on Facebook or on Twitter @HavreDaily.