Environmental

We all knew the arctic blast was coming, with wind chill factors of -35 possible. And reality they became. Early Monday morning, Montana was packed full of wickedly cold air temps with significant wind gusts in several locations.

Get ready for a round of significant snowfall followed by sub zero temperatures across dozens of Montana counties. Snow in the valleys could make driving conditions difficult, but the mountain passes could get well over a foot of fresh snow.

When it hasn't been snowing, it's been very foggy in the valleys of southwest Montana so far this week. Dense fog has created dangerous driving conditions at times.

Southwest Montana counties are in for another round of snow, with 4" to 6" falling in the higher elevations and 1" to 3" inches slated for the valleys by Monday afternoon.

Who doesn't love a good rock show? Gemstones, fossils, minerals, jewelry and fantastic people can be found at these gem and mineral shows across Montana and Idaho.

The snowiest towns in Montana are the stuff of winter legends. So where does the most snow fall?

Get ready for a slow commute and fresh round of shoveling, especially in southern Gallatin and Madison Counties. Lots of mountain snow and very gusty winds are possible in the higher elevations with this storm.

The reasons why Montana snowplow drivers have one of the most difficult jobs in the state make up a very long list. Not only does it take a special kind of person to do that job well, there are other factors this year making it even harder.

Montana has every right to be proud of the sapphires that can be found here. Why are these sapphires so special and are they actually rare? Yes, and we learned all the 'dirt' about these incredibly popular gemstones.

If you thought dealing with all this snow has been tough, we ain't seen nothing yet. Montana is about to experience life threatening cold, with wind chills as low as -50. Yes, FIFTY BELOW ZERO possible.

Montana is a winter wonderland playground, but that playground comes with avalanche dangers. Thankfully, we are home to one of the best Avalanche Centers in the country with the best people, info and resources within the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center.

This week won't be a great time for travel to Idaho. Up to two feet of snow and very gusty winds are expected around West Yellowstone and along the Montana/Idaho border.