Cold to follow snow and wind

Snow, wind and below-zero temperatures are all in store for Northwest Montana.

The region is under a winter storm warning through Monday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

Snow accumulations of 5 to 8 inches in valleys and 9 to 12 inches in the mountains were expected by Sunday morning.

Gusty winds forecast for Sunday afternoon may cause near-whiteout conditions. Northeast winds of 20 to 30 mph, gusting to 45 mph, are predicted for the Flathead Valley area.

Winds and plummeting temperatures are expected to produce wind chills of 15 to 25 degrees below zero by Monday morning.

Colder air is expected to be around through Wednesday.

In Kalispell, the thermometer should dip to minus 7 Monday night and minus 6 Tuesday night.

The weather should warm up by New Year’s Day, with a high of 22 predicted on Thursday.

Avalanche danger is considerable above 5,000 feet in the mountains of Northwest Montana, according to an advisory issued Saturday by the Flathead Avalanche Center.

Avalanches triggered by people are likely, particularly on steep slopes, according to the advisory.