MISSOULA — Wind Chill Warnings and Advisories and Winter Weather Advisories are in place for parts of Western Montana tonight and Friday morning.
WIND CHILL:
Wind Chill Warnings and Advisories (through I-90 corridor west of Missoula and northwest corner) remain in effect through Friday morning.
Lows tonight will drop to the negative teens and single digits, but we keep in these 20-30 MPH gusts.
The ‘feels like’ temperatures, known as wind chill values, will be around 30-40 below-zero in West-Central and Southwest Montana, but we could see wind chill values drop as low as 60-below-zero for areas along the Divide.
In these warned areas, frostbite can occur in just 5-10 minutes on exposed skin.
For some of us, that means a walk down the driveway and back!
Advised areas along the Idaho border and northwest corner can see frostbite occur on exposed skin in 30 minutes or less.
It is a good idea to keep indoors as much as possible the next 24-hour period as wind and arctic air combine to make dangerous outdoor conditions.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY:
Snow moves in this afternoon and evening for the Bitterroot Valley and Mountains and the Sapphire Mountains.
Accumulation in the Bitterroot Valley could total up to 2-5” throughout Thursday night and Friday morning.
On top of falling snow, snow on the ground will also be drifting and blowing which will reduce visibility significantly at times.
Please keep yourself and your pets warm over the next few days as arctic air keeps a tight hold on Western Montana.
