306
FXUS65 KMSO 261842
AFDMSO
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
1242 PM MDT MON OCT 26 2026
DISCUSSION
KEY MESSAGES:
- ANTICIPATE COOLER TEMPERATURES AND PERIODS OF VALLEY RAIN AND
MOUNTAIN SNOW THIS WEEK.
A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS MOVING ONSHORE OVER WASHINGTON TODAY. THIS SYSTEM
WILL MOVE EAST, BRINGING WIDESPREAD RAIN AND SNOW TO THE NORTHERN ROCKIES
LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT. SNOW LEVELS TONIGHT ARE EXPECTED TO LOWER TO
AROUND 4,000 TO 5,000 FEET, BRINGING ACCUMULATING SNOW TO THE MOUNTAINS.
THE HEAVIEST SNOW IS EXPECTED TO FALL ACROSS THE MISSION MOUNTAINS UP INTO
GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, WHERE SNOWFALL AMOUNTS HAVE INCREASED
COMPARED TO RECENT DAYS. SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW CAN BE EXPECTED IN
THESE AREAS ABOVE 5000FT BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON. THOSE WITH
BACKCOUNTRY PLANS THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT, NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR
WINTRY CONDITIONS. THE VALLEYS ACROSS NORTHWEST MONTANA, INCLUDING
KALISPELL, MAY SEE PERIODS OF SNOW MIXING WITH THE RAIN, THOUGH
THE ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL REMAIN IN THE MOUNTAINS.
ANOTHER WEATHER SYSTEM WILL BRING MORE RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW TO THE AREA
WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. A COOLER CANADIAN AIR MASS WILL MOVE SOUTH AND
WEST OVER THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BY THURSDAY MORNING, WHICH COULD LOWER
SNOW LEVELS DOWN TO 3,000 FEET FOR LOCATIONS ALONG HIGHWAY 2. IF WE SEE ANY
IMPACTS IN THE VALLEYS DUE TO SNOW, THURSDAY MORNING WOULD BE THE DAY,
WHERE AROUND ONE-HALF TO 1 INCH OF SNOW COULD ACCUMULATE BEFORE
SUNRISE.
BY FRIDAY, WARMER AIR WILL MOVE INTO THE REGION AHEAD OF ANOTHER STORM
SYSTEM, CAUSING SNOW LEVELS TO RISE. THIS STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE THROUGH
OVER THE WEEKEND, LOWERING SNOW LEVELS ONCE AGAIN AND BRINGING ANOTHER
ROUND OF WIDESPREAD RAIN AND SNOW.
AVIATION
INCREASING CLOUDS AND PRECIPITATION ARE EXPECTED TO PREVENT
WIDESPREAD DENSE FOG ACROSS WESTERN MONTANA AND NORTH-CENTRAL IDAHO ON
TUESDAY MORNING. HOWEVER, SLIGHT VISIBILITY REDUCTIONS WILL STILL BE
PRESENT WITH LIGHT VALLEY RAINFALL AND MOUNTAIN SNOW, ALONG WITH MOUNTAIN
OBSCURATIONS AS SNOW LEVELS LOWER TO AROUND 4,000 TO 5,000 FEET. SCATTERED
SHOWERS ON TUESDAY WILL BRIEFLY REDUCE VISIBILITY AND LOWER CEILINGS.
EXPECT MOUNTAIN OBSCURATIONS TO CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY AS WELL.
MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
MT...NONE.
ID...NONE.
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