The Outdoors

Snow will continue to fall across most of Montana through at least Friday morning. Higher elevations are getting lots of snow, while the valleys are seeing less but frequent light snowfalls. Thursday night is expected to bring lots more snow, along with some wind.

The higher elevations of Montana could see well over a foot of fresh snow by Friday. Most counties have a storm warning or watch in effect, and the valleys are expected to get 5" to 10" inches as well. Travel may become a serious issues during this storm.

Skiing and riding at resorts is fine, but Tuesday is NOT the day to explore the new snow in the backcountry near Bozeman and other areas of southwest Montana. Avalanche danger is extremely high, and the risk of triggering a huge slide is very real.

Lots of mountain snow is falling in Montana, which is great news. Montana is still very far behind normal average snowpack levels and drought concerns are still big. Towns and valleys can expect some snow, but high elevations across Montana are expecting 4" to 8" of fresh snow, with up to a foot in some locations.

I'm shocked and embarrassed that I've never been to this really gorgeous piece of Montana. It's so close, incredibly beautiful, inexpensive to visit, and right up my alley. Perhaps 'tourist attraction' isn't the right term for this Jefferson City gem.

The mountains of western Montana might score 8 to 10 inches of fresh snow by Sunday afternoon. Warnings and advisories have been issued for just about every western county, but some higher elevations might receive nearly a foot of snow.

Montana's lack of snowfall and our dangerously low snowpack levels are becoming the stuff of fire season nightmares. As the winter weeks go by, our 'percentages of normal' keep ticking lower - and that's not good news for this summer.

There's far more to this Street View situation than the logical statement of "well, there are tons of places in Montana that don't have streets". You know, huge chunks of wilderness and stuff. That certainly contributes to the lack of street view mapping, but it's not the whole story.

Just because it's been so unbearably cold, doesn't mean that Montana's in a much better place for winter snowpack. Much needed snow is headed for some mountain ranges in southwest Montana.

Ask five Montanans about what time is appropriate to start snow blowing, and you'll get five different opinions. Snow blowing etiquette exists, but snow blowing TOLERANCE is more important.

Montana is full of serious winter advisories through at least Sunday evening. Wind chills could dip to more than -40 with 35 mile an hour winds. Already bitter cold temperatures are making for treacherous conditions outside, and challenging situations for keeping homes warm.

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