Kalispell sets daily record low temperature

A new daily record low was set in Kalispell early Wednesday morning as temperatures dipped into the teens across the region.

The weather station at Glacier Park International Airport recorded a low of 19 at 5 a.m. The previous record low for Oct. 2 was 21, set in 1999. Lows in the 30s are typical for this time of year.

The freezing cold marked the final phase of a major winter storm that hit the area last weekend, bringing damaging wind to the Flathead Valley and dumping feet of snow on the mountains along the Continental Divide.

“The persistent low pressure system responsible for last weekend’s storm finally makes an exit from the northern Rockies,” the National Weather Service in Missoula reported Wednesday.

More pleasant weather is expected Thursday with temperatures just a few degrees below normal. This will be short-lived, however, as another cold front is anticipated to cross into Western Montana by Friday morning. Valley rain/snow mix and mountain snow is likely.

“This trough is colder than normal for this time of year which means that backcountry conditions will be quite raw: temperatures in the 20s combined with gusty winds and periodic snow showers will feel quite cold,” the Weather Service warned.