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Weather

Winter Storm to Bring a ‘Fluid Situation’ of Freezing Rain, Snow and Fluctuating Temperatures to Northwest Montana

The storm is expected to enter the Flathead Valley on Friday with rising temperatures and mixed precipitation followed by an Arctic airmass on Sunday

By Maggie Dresser
Snowy banks of the North Fork of the Flathead River on Jan 5, 2025. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon

Following a dry January that resulted in a rare slew of bluebird days in the Flathead Valley, a storm is expected to bring “complicated” conditions to the region in the form of fluctuating temperatures combined with potential freezing rain and snow, according to the National Weather Service.

Valley floors in northwest Montana are expected to see a mix of freezing rain and snow on Friday while high elevations could see several inches of snow as temperatures rise and a moist airmass ushers in from the southwest.

But as valley inversions cause cold pools at low elevations, forecasters say there is “still considerable uncertainty with precipitation type” as the moist air flushes through the region.

On Friday, temperatures in the Flathead, Whitefish and Swan ranges are expected to rise to above 30 degrees at elevations exceeding 6,000 feet with snow levels fluctuating through the weekend.

Dropping temperatures on Saturday will likely change the precipitation to snow before an Arctic airmass and gusty southwesterly winds enter the region on Sunday, which could cause negative temperatures.

Snowdrifts over Four Mile road in Kalispell, where temperatures dropped to about -20 with wind chill values approaching -40 on Jan. 12, 2024. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon

Forecasters with the National Weather Station say this “fluid situation” is bound to change, and dangerous driving conditions will likely persist through the weekend with blowing, drifting snow and bitter wind chills causing rough travel.

While early-storm conditions remain uncertain, forecasters have higher confidence in Sunday’s Arctic overrunning event – a weather pattern that involves widespread clouds and steady precipitation on the cool side of a front.

At Whitefish Mountain Resort, close to 2 feet of snow is expected through Sunday with temperatures dropping below zero degrees.   

The storm is expected to boost northwest Montana’s snowpack, which has seen a significant drop since the start of 2025.

Snow water equivalent (SWE) levels in the Flathead River Basin have sunk to 86% of normal as of Jan. 30 based on the median percentage between 1991 and 2020. SWE levels sit at 83% in the Kootenai Basin while the Sun-Teton-Marias Basin is at 59%.

On the Hi-Line, the Bear Paw Basin is well above average at 238% while the Smith-Judith-Musselshell Basin in Central Montana is at 121%.

Surface hoar. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon

The recent dry, cold weather has resulted in a weak snowpack described as “facet quicksand” that avalanche forecasters say will likely lead to a widespread avalanche cycle if the forecasted conditions come to fruition.

While January’s avalanche danger ratings have been low, forecasters warn the conditions will be “drastically different than those we’ve gotten accustomed to in the past two weeks.”

“The sugary snow is the foundation for the next snow to land on,” Flathead Avalanche Center Forecaster Cam Johnson said in the Jan. 30 forecast. “If snow accumulations meet or exceed forecasted amounts, we will see avalanche activity. We often see a rash of near-misses and accidents when mid-season persistent weak layers get buried in snow.”

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