MISSOULA — A major winter storm is on the way for the mountains of Western Montana.
Usually, we get one "opening season" storm between Halloween and Election Day. This year, we've already had a Halloween storm and we'll get another for Election Day.
The moisture will start later this afternoon with heavy snow above 4,000 feet and a rain and snow mix in the valleys. Wind gusts tonight could be in excess of 50 mph, so secure outdoor objects.
A Blizzard Warning, winter storm warnings, and winter weather advisories have been issued all to start around 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. today, ending Tuesday night.
Again, impacts will mainly be above 4,000 feet with snow totals ranging between 6" and 14". A few valley locations, like Columbia Falls, may see between 1" and 3" of snow through Tuesday night.
The rain and snow should be gone by Wednesday morning, but we'll still be feeling the impacts on mountain pass roads. Temperatures will stay fairly consistent in the 40s even with all of this moisture and cloud coverage.
Overall, it's time to think about pulling out your snow gear and getting that ballot in early!
