| Update on Snow and Cold |
| Good afternoon everyone, we wanted to provide an update on the snow and cold expected for the region starting late tonight and continuing through early this coming week. Snow amounts have trended higher from previous forecasts. |
| KEY POINTS |
- Arctic air and snow arrive tonight and Sunday
- Prolonged period of snow expected tonight into Tuesday
- Very cold temperatures and wind chill values Sunday through Wednesday
- Warmup likely late next week
|
| WEATHER RISK OUTLOOK |
| Risk levels incorporate potential impacts from weather hazards and likelihood of occurrence for a reasonable worse case scenario. |
| Sun 2/16 |
Mon 2/17 |
Tue 2/18 |
Wed 2/19 |
Thu 2/20 |
Fri 2/21 |
Sat 2/22 |
| Cold/Snow |
Cold/Snow |
Cold/Snow |
Cold |
Warming |
Warming
Foothills Wind? |
Warming
Foothills Wind? |
|
| Risk Levels |
Little to None |
Minor |
Moderate |
Major |
Extreme |
|
| DETAILS |
- Arctic air and snow arrive tonight and Sunday
- Arctic air surges south tonight into Sunday with snowfall overspreading the area into Sunday
- Prolonged period of snow expected tonight into Tuesday
- Moisture overrunning the arctic air over the region sets up a prolonged period of snowfall
- Greatest snowfall totals over central and western areas, with lesser totals into southeast MT
- Large swath of 6 to 12 inches of snowfall expected over and along a Harlowton to Billings to Lodge Grass line (50% chance for 12 or more inches of snowfall at Billings); 4 to 8 inches of snowfall down into the foothills
- 10 to 20 inches of snowfall expected in the Beartooth/Absaroka and Crazy mountains (greatest on west aspects); 7 to 14 inches in the Bighorn/Pryor mountains
- Difficult travel conditions due to snow and poor visibility, impacting the Monday and Tuesday commutes
- Significant amounts of snow exist across the area, the additional snow could exacerbate snow removal operations
- Very cold temperatures and wind chill values Sunday through Wednesday
- High temperatures: single digits above and below zero (coldest Tuesday)
- Low temperatures: teens and 20s below zero (coldest Wednesday morning)
- Probability of temperatures of -20 F or lower Wednesday morning is 50% or greater from Harlowton to Billings to Sheridan and areas north and east
- Morning wind chills: 20s to 40s below zero (coldest Wednesday morning)
- Cold weather preparedness
- Dress in layers
- Limit outdoor exposure
- Protect livestock and pets
- Warmup likely late next week
- Moderating temperatures starting Thursday, with high temperatures in the 30s and 40s Friday and into next weekend
- Above normal temperatures are likely to continue for several days with strong high pressure over the western US
- Potential period of gusty foothills winds Friday and Saturday
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