First Winter Weather Advisory Of The Season Issued In The Lower-48

Winter weather will grace parts of the northern Rockies early this upcoming week as snow levels drop to around 9,000 feet. The Billings National Weather Service (NWS) issued the first Winter Weather Advisory (WWA) of the season for parts of southern Montana (see Fig. 1).

Fig. 1: Current WWAs for Montana

2-7″ with isolated higher amounts are likely for the Beartooth and Absaroka Mountains (see Fig. 2). This will cause hazardous travel conditions where the heaviest snow falls. Snow will not be limited to Montana. Northwestern Wyoming and Northwestern Colorado will see snow in the higher elevations (see Fig. 3).

Fig. 2: Latest message from the NWS

Fig. 3: NAM snowfall forecast

Late-August snow is not unheard of for the northern Rockies. The jet-stream begins to dip slightly southward this time of the year, which can cause snow levels to drop. It’s just a matter of time before more areas in the lower-48 pickup their first snow of the season.