Montana Weather Shift: From Warm To Wintry – What You Need To Know

You might call this a “fire & ice” weekend coming up in Montana.

That’s because the weekend will bring near fire weather, with National Weather Service forecasters warning people to be careful with any outdoor burning. Then next week trick or treaters will have to figure out how to incorporate coats, and maybe even boots as part of their costumes.

It’s all part of a dramatic shift in the weather across the Northern Rockies next week, where Montana will quickly transition from a generally warm, dry fall to the first shot of extended of wintery weather.

READ MORE: Montana might not need snow tires anymore

How much snow will hit Montana next week?

National Weather Service forecasters are still expecting a turn to colder, and snowier weather starting on Sunday across the the Northern Rockies. However, some of the projections for snowfall totals have dropped from earlier estimates.

The weather pattern will begin to shift on Sunday, starting with close to fire weather conditions across Southwest Montana with gusty winds, warmer than normal temperatures  and very low humidity. The Rocky Mountain Front is also expected to be quite windy, with gusts up to 45 miles per hour.

Rain will develop Sunday night into Monday, with slushy snow impacting driving on the western passes like Lookout, Lost Trail and Marias. The latest outlook suggests only a couple of inches of wet snow at the higher elevation.

However, NWS says models are projecting a greater likelihood of snow into the valleys around Halloween as snow levels are expected to drop below 3,000 feet with the third of three systems off the Pacific arriving Thursday or Friday. By the end of the week, many of the higher-elevation areas could have more than a foot of new snow.

READ MORE: Did a “weak” La Nina forecast ruin Montana’s winter?