Current weather?

[wnysteve]

I don't think I have ever seen a forecast that predicted 26-42 inches of snow or "and additional 1 - 2 feet" of snow. Of course I don't check the forecast for the mountains much.

Here around Buffalo we only take notice if the snow forecast is in feet. Anything less is a "Dusting".

[Ear Mountain]

Well crap, I am currently sitting in Liberty Lake, WA and am hoping to get home on Monday before dark, but that sounds like it may become a real challenge after seeing the weather reports!

And my wife is hoping to fly into Great Falls this evening. So far Delta hasn't cancelled the flight but if they do she will be stuck in Minneapolis as she is already en route from DC. Weather forecasts in and near mountains are very tough though. We were forecast to get this snow starting Sunday night. Bu the temps went from -4 F Sunday evening to +39 F this morning. No new snow but existing snow got wet and was melting. And a little breezy, 30 mph for a while. As of 11:00 still no new snow but temps fell to only +7 F. My old adage states that when a snow storm comes later than forecast it's a bust. Maybe this will be the case here on the east side. Didn't work for last year's Birkie though unless if it came on time the snowfall would have been more than the 17 inches.

[PeteE]

Still a moderate snow falling here.
I had to go to CFalls this morning to get the WF runner. Her lil car was stuck bad at her sisters.
I just hope I can get out of my apt. parking space. The alley hadn't been plowed in a while.
I'll drop her at the gas station across from the Blue Moon and she'll walk. It's not far and I can't get in where she lives.
Over a foot here at my place and probably close to 2feet in CFalls.
Guy who works with me has a friend who lives at the base of Columbia Mtn in the heights.
He said it has been "dumping" all day over there; they're snowed in for now.
I'm just hoping the wind doesn't get up. All that snow laying around will make for really tough visibilty and driving.
later
pete

[daveparker]

Well we did finally make it home, as I figured, it was a heck of a challenge and the car is sitting a couple miles away at a friends house! I ended up getting it stuck and had to walk the last mile to get to the house, what a joy that was, at least was able to get him to give her a ride up to the house, but somehow, my darn kindle disappeared, Deb said she set it on top of her purse and it was not on top of her purse when she got home!

[Ear Mountain]

Great Falls seemed to get about a foot of snow on Monday but it stopped snowing heavily in the afternoon. The airport never shut down. My wife's flight from MSP was delayed due to a late arriving aircraft from Billings and the need to de-ice the aircraft before departing MSP. So the flight arrived in Great Falls about an hour late. But it did get there. Meanwhile, here in Choteau, our total snowfall for Monday was about 1.5 inches. Roads are good except for in Great Falls.

[PeteE]

No lack of snow on this side.
The reports I saw were from 35+ inches in Columbia Falls to 20+ in the Kalispell area.
I nearly got stuck about 6PM yesterday in CFalls taking the runner home.
But then it was ugly here in places too. Several people, got stuck trying to turn west on Railroad st right where I live.
Looks like we had about 20-24" here in Whitefish.
Felt like 20-24 feet by the time I was done shoveling this morning.

Stuff slides off the roof and packs tightly when it hits the pavement
I had to chop it up with a steel spade then shovel it with my snow shovel.
I guess the bright side is it's good exercise....so they say


later
pete

PS
Why do some people insist on driving like morons(speeding, tailgating, etc.) during a snowstorm when...
It's dark, snowing, the landscape everywhere you look is white, the road is white, the night sky is white on dark.
What am I missing?

[PeteE]

Well, I hope there is less of that there than here. I was really looking forward to getting away from that crowd!

When do you get here?
Don't bet the ranch on it! LOL!!
I was surprised, even shocked, when I first moved to Montana at the poor winter driving skills I found here.
There are people who grew upin WF who can't drive as well on snow as I can
Winter driving is mostly just "common sense".

They're cleaning up the snow. I woke up this AM to this this loader with a 200HP blower filling dump trucks.
He's blowing snow into the woods across the street waiting on the trucks to come back.
Old stuff to folks in cold weather states.
People in the south where I grew up don't see snow too much.
I'll get out to the park as soon as I can for some pics. I've been busy at work with both machine issues and snow cleanup.

later
pete

[PeteE]

Dust? Oh riiiiiiight, I remember now, that dirt and rock stuff


January 10th 2015, another snowy day in the Flathead
pete

[PeteE]

DPratt:

Be glad you missed this weekend!

This is an ugly forecast for the NW Montana this time of year.
Winter Carnival this weekend is going to be a bummer.
After such a great start for the winter season, the ski hill folks are also getting clobbered.
Bad bad for the local economy.
I'd rather see a blizzard with the same water content myself.

pete

000
FXUS65 KMSO 052144
AFDMSO

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Missoula MT
244 PM MST THU FEB 5 2015

.DISCUSSION...

Occasional areas of light rain have overspread the region this
afternoon with some light snow at elevations above 6000 feet. An
increasing south-north pressure gradient has also brought gusty
winds to some southern valleys and higher elevations. By this
evening, the increasing gradient and occasional rainfall will help
to mix out and warm up the few remaining lower valleys that are
still stuck in the mid 30s. Periods of rain and high elevation
snow (generally above 7000 feet) will occur through Sunday as
several disturbances work with a subtropical moisture plume.
Liquid water equivalents up to 3 inches are expected for the
Clearwater Mountains, far northwest Montana, and the Glacier Park
Region. Lower valleys will see up to 1 inch of rainfall.

As outlined in previous forecast discussions, impacts from this
atmospheric river event include...

* ROCK/MUDSLIDES: Particularly for highways in north central Idaho
and far northwest Montana with exposed and steep embankments
adjacent to roadway.
* POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING: Particularly across relatively flat
areas of the Flathead Valley where rain atop the existing
snowpack will back-up onto property and become trapped.
* PONDING WATER ON HIGHWAYS: Sudden hydroplaning can be very
dangerous at normal highway speeds.
* STRESS TO YOUNG LIVESTOCK: Relatively cold rainfall for extended
period is dangerous for newborn livestock.
* HEAVY WET SNOW ABOVE 7000 FEET: Brutal conditions for
backcountry travel and travel over high-elevation mountain
passes.
* SUDDEN INCREASES IN SMALL STREAM FLOWS.
* GUSTY WINDS: Mainly for higher elevations and the Camas Prairie
with gusts to 50 mph Friday and Saturday.

In the long term a ridge of high pressure starts to build across
the northern Rockies. Most locations, especially in central Idaho,
will be warmer than average starting around next Wednesday. The
exception may be the Flathead and Mission valleys. There is a
chance that a cold high pressure system east of the Continental
Divide will spill some cold air into these valleys, and with the
building ridge the cold air will be trapped.

&&

.AVIATION...Periods of light rain, low ceilings, and mountain
obscurations are expected across much of the region over the next
several days. KSMN and KBTM may be an exception to this tonight
and the first half of Friday as the main moisture plume remains
north of these sites. An increasing pressure gradient is also
expected to help mix out lower valleys, thus diminishing the
threat for the dense fog that was observed the past few mornings.

&&

[daveparker]

DPratt:

Be glad you missed this weekend!

Definitely looks like you have a sloppy time ahead of you for the next week, at least. Hopefully things turn around in the long range forecast.

I'll be back out there in two weeks to attend a home inspection. We have a contract on a house! Maybe conditions will be a little more "normal" by then.

Actually, in NW Montana, anything that gets thrown at us at anytime is "Pretty much Normal"

[Ear Mountain]

Actually, in NW Montana, anything that gets thrown at us at anytime is "Pretty much Normal"

Well then our normal today was heavy rain and a clap or two of thunder. This winter is a wild one for sure.

[PeteE]

"Winter" started out really well here.
Zero and subzero temps and snow starting way back in early November and continuing normally right on through the 1st week in January.
The ski hill was doing record business right through New Years.
Then about mid January right up to, and including today has been warm temps and a lot of rain.
It truly sucks imo.
We need snow, lots of it.

pete

[joybird]

I'll be back out there in two weeks to attend a home inspection. We have a contract on a house!

Congratulations!

[paul]

"Winter" started out really well here.
Zero and subzero temps and snow starting way back in early November and continuing normally right on through the 1st week in January.
The ski hill was doing record business right through New Years.
Then about mid January right up to, and including today has been warm temps and a lot of rain.
It truly sucks imo.
We need snow, lots of it.

pete

I think all the snow & cold weather that Northwest Montana usually gets has shifted to the Boston area instead. Since mid January, temps are averaging 15-20 degrees below normal and we are getting snowstorm after snowstorm (5 to 6 ft in 3 weeks)

[PeteE]

Many local people will probably like this forecast, but not I.
If this sort of weather pattern persists through May, we'll be in deep trouble for fire season.
Huge areas in NW Montana are bare now.
Without significantly more moisture, these areas and more, will be baked dry before June.

pete


00
FXUS65 KMSO 062116
AFDMSO

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Missoula MT
215 PM MST FRI MAR 6 2015

...WELL ABOVE NORMAL TEMPS TO BEGIN SATURDAY AND LAST THROUGH NEXT
WEEK...

.DISCUSSION...Temperatures around the region have been warming
quite nicely this afternoon as high pressure continues to build
over the Northern Rockies. Temperatures will continue to rise
through the weekend, which are expected to be in the upper 50s and
low 60s tomorrow and Sunday for most valleys in western Montana
and north central Idaho. These forecasted temperatures are 15
degrees above normal for this time of the year.

With high pressure remaining locked over the western half of the
U.S. to start the week, the Northern Rockies should expect
daytime highs to continue their upward trend. By Monday, highs
will be in the 60 degree range across most of north central Idaho
and western Montana. By Tuesday, many valleys will be pushing the
70-degree mark. Some clouds will start to stream across the
region, but no precip is expected until later in the week. Even
then, no real organized precipitation is expected, nor are any
major cool-downs likely.

&&

.AVIATION...
Fair weather with passing high clouds will continue for the
terminals the next 24 hours.


&&

.MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...None.
ID...None.