National Weather Service

The National Weather Service said a powerful weather system is arriving in western Montana that will bring strong winds and heavy snow to the area.

KGVO News recently spoke to the National Weather Service office in Missoula about an expected high wind even headed into the area this week.

Despite the lack of significant snowfall this winter in western Montana valleys, the National Weather Service told KGVO News on Wednesday that area mountain snowpack is at or above 100 percent.

If you're new to Missoula and you thought that it was time to pull out your warm-weather clothes, think again.

Western Montana is experiencing what meteorologists call ‘an atmospheric river,' as a large area of moisture in the form of rain and snow is now affecting the area.

Bob Nester, Senior Meteorologist with the National Weather Service Office in Missoula told KGVO News at about 3:30 a.m. that Wednesday is officially the coldest morning of the winter.

Senior Meteorologist Bob Nester with the National Weather Service Office in Missoula was ready and waiting for the call from KGVO News early Tuesday morning with details of the current cold snap.

Batten down the hatches, because something called ‘a classic arctic intrusion’ is headed for Missoula, and it is due to arrive on Sunday with very cold temperatures, snow and gusty winds.

All this week, surface snow will be melting away with highs reaching the mid to upper 40’s throughout western Montana, according to the National Weather Service.

With up to a foot of snow over the past 48 hours, Mother Nature is playing a cruel joke on drivers in Missoula and western Montana today with a good dose of freezing rain over the snowfall.

As if this big dump of snow wasn’t enough, the National Weather Service and the West Central Montana Avalanche Center are predicting winds of 50 miles per hour or higher for travelers and avalanche danger for back country recreationists.

The National Weather Service is predicting a strong weather system that will deposit up to eight inches of new snow in the Missoula valley this week, with a possible three feet of snow in the surrounding mountains.