935  
FOUS11 KWBC 080623  
QPFHSD  
 
PROBABILISTIC HEAVY SNOW AND ICING DISCUSSION  
NWS WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD  
223 AM EDT THU OCT 8 2026  
 
VALID 12Z THU OCT 08 2026 - 12Z SUN OCT 11 2026  
   
..NORTHERN ROCKIES
 
 
DAY 3...  
 
TROUGHING OVER THE GULF OF ALASKA THIS MORNING WILL PUSH  
SOUTHEASTWARD INTO BRITISH COLUMBIA FRIDAY AND ELONGATE FROM  
SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST ON SATURDAY AS IT SLOWLY DIGS SOUTHWARD.  
THIS WILL SPUR LEE-SIDE CYCLOGENESIS EAST OF THE CANADIAN ROCKIES  
WITH LOW PRESSURE DEEPENING OVER EASTERN MONTANA TO THE HIGH  
PLAINS. WITH THE TROUGH AXIS DOWN THE WEST COAST, A LONG BUT  
SOMEWHAT NARROW MOISTURE PLUME WILL BRING IN PACIFIC MOISTURE TO  
THE REGION AS THE COLD FRONT FROM THE NORTH BRINGS IN COLDER SUB-  
FREEZING SURFACE TEMPERATURES ON SATURDAY.  
 
RAIN WILL TURN TO SNOW AS SNOW LEVELS CRASH FROM WELL ABOVE 8000FT  
NEAR PRECIP ONSET TO 3000-4000FT SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT  
TO SUNDAY OVER NORTHWESTERN MT (5000-8000FT CLOSER TO THE WY  
BORDER). SNOW COULD FALL MODERATE TO HEAVY AT TIMES WITH INCREASING  
WIND AS NORTHERLY FLOW AT THE SURFACE INTERSECTS THE TERRAIN JUST  
NORTH OF A TIGHTENING BAROCLINIC ZONE AS THE FRONT SLOWS AROUND  
YELLOWSTONE.  
 
BY 12Z SUNDAY, SNOW WILL CONTINUE OVER WESTERN MT AS SNOW LEVELS  
CONTINUE TO TICK LOWER (2000-3000FT TO THE NORTH AND AROUND 7000FT  
CLOSER TO THE WY BORDER) DUE TO THE TROUGH AXIS REMAINING OVER  
WESTERN OR AND NORTHWESTERN CA, MAINTAINING BROAD SW FLOW ALOFT  
OVER THE REGION.  
 
WPC PROBABILITIES FOR AT LEAST 8 INCHES OF SNOW THROUGH 12Z SUNDAY  
ARE >50% ABOVE ABOUT 5000FT OR SO AND >4" TO ABOUT 4000FT.  
ACCUMULATING SNOW SHOULD REACH MOST VALLEY FLOORS OVER WESTERN MT  
BY THE END OF THIS PERIOD.  
 
THE PROBABILITY OF SIGNIFICANT DAYS 1-3 ICE ACROSS THE CONUS IS  
LESS THAN TEN PERCENT.  
 
FRACASSO  
 

 
 
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