Heavy Snow For the Weekend; Winter Storm Watch Issued

Snow and single-digit temperatures are expected for the Bozeman area this weekend. The storm moves Saturday evening with a mix of rain and snow. Heavy snowfall is expected overnight and the snow is predicted to continue throughout the day Sunday. With this storm they are calling for:

5 to 10 inches of snow for Bozeman
Up to 18 inches expected in the mountains
Wind gusts up to 30 mph
Patchy blowing snow
Slippery road conditions
Low visibility
Difficult travel especially for mountain passes

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch beginning Saturday evening through Sunday night. The advisory is for Central, Southwest, and West Central
Montana. This includes Gallatin, Beaverhead, Central and Southern Lewis and Clark, Madison, Jefferson, Broadwater, and Meagher Counties.

This advisory will likely be shifted to a Winter Storm Warning as the storm approaches. As part of the advisory the National Weather Service also stated the following:

WHAT: Heavy snow possible. Total snow accumulations of 5 to 10
inches are possible, with up to 18 inches possible in the mountains. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.

WHERE: Portions of Central, Southwest, and West Central
Montana.

WHEN: From Saturday evening through late Sunday night.

IMPACTS: Travel could be very difficult. Areas of blowing snow
could significantly reduce visibility.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS: Snowfall rates from late Saturday evening
through Sunday morning could approach 1 inch per hour.

As a part of this storm, the northern portion of the stat is also expecting significant snowfall and strong winds with up to 40 mph gusts.