Spring snowstorm expected this weekend

Don’t hang up those mittens just yet, snow and freezing temperatures are expected to make a return to Northwest Montana beginning Friday through Sunday.

According to the National Weather Service in Missoula, snow levels will drop below 3,000 feet Saturday evening into Sunday as a cold front from the north dips into the region.

The Glacier National Park area will be impacted with heavy snow along U.S. 2 from Essex to Marias Pass, where up to 8-12 inches of new snowfall is possible. Travelers should expect reduced visibility and slippery roadways through this mountain corridor.

“Even lower elevation unpaved backcountry roads near and within Glacier Park could prove to be difficult to travel with even a light snow accumulation,” the Weather Service warned in its forecast on Thursday.

Light snowfall accumulations are even possible in the Flathead and Seeley-Swan valleys.

Forecast models suggest the cold and wet weather will continue through at least Wednesday. With low temperatures dropping well into the 20s early next week in the valleys, people with sensitive vegetation and exposed irrigation systems are advised to prepare accordingly.