Major winter blast to arrive Saturday

A major winter storm is threatening to bring heavy snow and treacherous driving conditions to Northwest Montana this weekend.

The National Weather Service in Missoula says an Arctic blast will hit the area Saturday night and last into Monday night. Temperatures on Saturday will quickly drop from the 30s into the teens as the front arrives.

The combination of heavy snow, quickly dropping temperatures and gusty winds will create potentially dangerous to impossible travel conditions by Sunday morning. The worst conditions are expected to be in Northwest Montana.

The Flathead Valley could see 4 to 8 inches of snow Saturday, with an additional 3 to 7 inches possible Saturday night.

After the snow moves out, the bitter cold will move in. Single-digit temperatures and very cold wind chills of minus 15 to minus 25 degrees will be common by Sunday night, the Weather Service warned. Areas along the Continental Divide may see wind chills dip to minus 40.

The winter storm is in effect from Saturday at 11 a.m. to Sunday at 5 p.m.