Flathead Valley gets first snowfall of season
Fall colors contrast against new snow in Whitefish on Sunday afternoon.
Snowfall totals of 1 to 3 inches were common across the Flathead Valley on Sunday afternoon as the area saw its first winter storm of the season.
A winter weather advisory was in place through 10 a.m., on Monday for the Flathead and Mission valleys. An additional inch of snow along with periods of freezing rain was likely, according the National Weather Service in Missoula. The Monday morning commute was expected to be slick.
Sunday’s snowfall picked up in the early morning hours and persisted through the late afternoon. Accumulations were mostly confined to grassy surfaces, but some roads were slick in places.
Another shot of winter weather is on tap for later this week.
“A rapid drop in temperatures is possible in north-central Idaho and
Western Montana Wednesday night,” the Weather Service noted in its Sunday forecast. “Highest confidence for snow is in Northwest Montana”
Lows in Kalispell Wednesday and Thursday night could dip into the teens.
Even colder air moves in by the weekend, with lows in the single digits Saturday night.
“There are still many questions on where and how much snow will occur during the weekend, but confidence is increasing for cold, potentially record breaking temperatures next Sunday,” the Weather Service noted.