North wind may blow into blizzard

Forecasts for the incoming deep freeze worsened on Friday, with the National Weather Service issuing a blizzard warning for the Flathead Valley that will continue into this afternoon.

A Pacific moisture front is clashing with an arctic cold front from the north, and the Flathead Valley appears to be directly in line for the worst of it.

"The main theme with this storm is wind and blowing snow and later dangerous wind chills," said Peter Felsch, warning coordinator meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Missoula.

Moderate to heavy snow was forecast for Friday night into today, with as much as 6 to 8 inches falling in the valleys and higher elevations receiving 15 to 20 inches.

"By Saturday, that's when we'll see really nasty weather conditions in Northwest Montana," Felsch said Friday.

As cold air surges across the Continental Divide, winds of 25 to 35 mph and gusts up to 40 mph will be blowing into the Flathead Valley from the northeast, creating blizzard conditions mainly in areas north of Flathead Lake. Drifting and possible white-out conditions are possible.

"The main theme for Sunday is that it will be very cold, very windy with dangerous wind chills," Felsch said.

In areas such as Polebridge or Essex, he said, wind-chill readings could be 20 below to as low as 50 below zero. Record low temperatures are possible by Monday, and 'schools will definitely be impacted," Felsch said.

"By Monday, we'll really dry out," he said, but subzero temperatures will persist throughout the week.

Predicted temperatures for the Flathead Valley are minus 11 tonight, a high of minus 5 on Sunday and a low of minus 21 on Sunday night.

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by e-mail at jmann@dailyinterlake.com