Montana

Heavy Snow to Impact Montana With Risk to Power Lines

Published

2 years ago

May 22, 2024

Heavy Snow to Impact Montana With Risk to Power Lines

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) – The National Weather Service is calling for heavy, wet snow to impact areas of southwestern Montana, including several mountain passes.

I spoke to National Weather Service Meteorologist Alex Lukinbeal on Tuesday who provided details of the incoming system.

Heavy Snow is Possible in Southwest Montana into Thursday

“We have a potent Pacific low-pressure system that’s going to be moving across central Idaho down through southwest Montana,” began Lukinbeal. “It’s going to be wrapping a lot of moisture around that low pressure causing the snow levels to drop anywhere from about 4,700 feet to 5,000 feet Wednesday night into Thursday morning.”

Lukinbeal said those traveling over mountain passes in the area should be prepared for heavy snow.

“The main areas of concern for heavy snowfall are really going to set up down in southwest Montana,” he said. “That would include the I-90 corridor, anywhere from about Anaconda down through Butte. Other areas along the divide and over the mountain passes like Georgetown Lake, McDonald Pass, and Homestake Pass are going to be seeing the brunt of the heavy snow and that’s where our confidence is increasing for at least anywhere from about six to 12 inches of snowfall.”

Georgetown Lake, McDonald, and Homestake Passes to be Affected

Lukinbeal said some areas affected could see new records set for snowfall this late in the spring.

“I also do want to mention that there is potential for snow even in the valley locations,” he said. “Places like Phillipsburg, Anaconda and Butte. There’s kind of a low threat that we could potentially be seeing five to six inches of snow in Butte. In fact, there’s a 10 percent probability that you might have the most snow in late May since 1999.”

I asked Lukinbeal how this system might affect the upcoming wildfire season.

READ MORE: Snow then 80? Sure Because It’s May in Montana

The Heavy Spring Rain will help Western Montana’s Water Levels

“The spring rains are definitely an important piece of the puzzle,” he said. “We look at fire season and the widespread nature of this precipitation is definitely going to have at least short-term impacts as far as there being areas of abnormal dryness and the drought in place. There’s potential for this system and then there’s another system showing up this weekend that’s going to be bringing another round of rain. I think the bottom line is, at least in the short term, this precipitation is going to be beneficial to help us get closer to that normal precipitation for a lot of areas throughout the year and potentially have some consequences to hopefully impact the drought.”

One aspect of the storm will be possible power outages given the heavy wet snow on trees and power lines.

20 Best Montana License Plate Designs

If you want to switch up your Montana license plate, here are a few options.

Gallery Credit: Will Gordon

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Montana

Missoula and Western Montana neighbors: Obituaries for March 20

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7 hours ago

March 20, 2026

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Missoula and Western Montana neighbors: Obituaries for March 20

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Montana

Montana smokejumper Sam Forstag aims to flip House seat blue

Published

19 hours ago

March 19, 2026

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Montana smokejumper Sam Forstag aims to flip House seat blue

Montana hasn’t elected a Democrat to the House since the late 1990s. Smokejumper Sam Forstag, who jumps out of planes into the remote wilderness to put out wildfires, is trying to change that. Forstag joins “The Takeout” to lay out his progressive campaign in the deep-red state.

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Montana

Amazing America: Smokejumpers share how job evolved through the years

Published

1 day ago

March 19, 2026

Press Room

Amazing America: Smokejumpers share how job evolved through the years

MISSOULA, Mont. — In this week’s Amazing America, NBC Montana is highlighting smokejumpers and their efforts to keep our communities safe during wildfire season.

NBC Montana caught up with a current and a former smokejumper to learn more about the work they do and how the job has changed throughout the years.

Jim Kitchen was a smokejumper for 20 seasons, fought over 100 fires and raised his three daughters on a smokejumper base, where he served as base commander.

Kitchen says he’ll never forget his first jump, when he started training in Fairbanks, Alaska, in 1987.

“I went, ‘That was amazing,’ and he goes, ‘Yeah,’ and I go, ‘Have you ever done anything as amazing in your life? I mean, we just made our first jump,” said Kitchen.

Kitchen told NBC Montana when he laughed his crew had to do 50 pushups.

Kitchen saw several changes during his career, including women entering a historically male-dominated field. He told NBC Montana Deanne Shulman, the first woman smokejumper, paved the way for the industry.

He recalled a time when he was on a trip to Washington, D.C. , in the early ’90s to coordinate emergency response, when a U.S. Department of State official asked him a question.

“He goes, ‘I didn’t realize men were smokejumpers.’ And I had to go, ‘Peter, I’ll have you know, there’s quite a few of us, and actually, it’s the women that are rare,’” said Kitchen “The early ladies in smokejumping, they always met and exceeded the bar, and they were instrumental in doing these winter details.”

Another change he oversaw as base commander, was moving from round parachutes used in World War II, to the ones used today.

“Ram-Air parachutes that inflate make the shape of the wing and they actually have about a 20 mph forward speed. And so you can you can fly those in much windier conditions, higher elevations,” said Kitchen.

Kitchen says the job requires you to roll with the punches and make quick decisions on the fly.

He said while training new jumpers, he taught them early to prepare and never hesitate.

“The only thing that we ask of you is that you take all the information that you can and then make a decision,” said Kitchen.

Nick Holloway, a current Missoula smokejumper, who’s been working for 14 seasons, says it’s important to rely on your training, stay positive and persevere.

“Having done this for a few years, it’s just trying to know that essentially every season is a marathon, it’s not a sprint. Just stay healthy, stay focused and keep having a good time,” said Holloway.

NBC Montana asked both men what they were most proud of during their time jumping.

Kitchen recalled fighting a fire near the Grand Canyon, when he and his crew decided to manage a fire instead of suppressing it when they ponderosa pine trees.

The crew let the fire burn to a plateau, “The Ponderosa pine has about a 20 to 30-year fire return interval in that area,” said Kitchen. “That’s one of the high points as far as land stewardship of my career is seeing fire on a landscape escape and not necessarily suppressing it but allowing it to burn, because then you’re saying it’s good for decades after that.”

Holloway told NBC Montana, while he has “too many to count,” he’s most proud that recently he jumped a 3- to 5-acre fire at Yellowstone National Park.

The fire grew to 8 acres, “So seven days later we got around everything, put it all out and essentially with a good product upon departure. So it’s just a classic example of a smokejumper fire.”

Holloway says staying fit for annual trainings, regardless of experience, is critical to staying fire-ready.

“Pushups, pullups, sit-ups, a certain amount and then a mile and a half in a certain time as well,” said Holloway.

Kitchen told NBC Montana he still does his pullups, pushups and sit-ups.

“Many of my colleagues are still in really fit shape even in their 60s, 70s and 80s,” he said.

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