Winter Storm Watch 21, NWS Missoula, MT

000 
WWUS45 KMSO 191806
WSWMSO

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
1206 PM MDT THU OCT 19 2006

MTZ002-043-200300-
/O.UPG.KMSO.WS.A.0021.061020T0600Z-061021T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KMSO.WS.W.0010.061020T0600Z-061021T0000Z/
WEST GLACIER REGION-POTOMAC/SEELEY LAKE REGION-
1206 PM MDT THU OCT 19 2006

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM
MDT FRIDAY ABOVE 5000 FEET...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MISSOULA HAS ISSUED A WINTER
STORM WARNING ABOVE 5000 FEET...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT
TONIGHT TO 6 PM MDT FRIDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER
IN EFFECT. 

SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES ARE EXPECTED ABOVE 5000
FEET. WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS 15 TO 25 MPH IN THE HIGHER
ELEVATIONS WILL ALSO CAUSE REDUCED VISIBILITY WITH BLOWING SNOW.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE
EXPECTED. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL
VERY HAZARDOUS. HUNTERS AND BACKPACKERS IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS
SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS.

$$

MTZ007-200300-
/O.UPG.KMSO.WS.A.0021.061020T0600Z-061021T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KMSO.SN.Y.0025.061020T0600Z-061021T0000Z/
BUTTE/BLACKFOOT REGION-
1206 PM MDT THU OCT 19 2006

...SNOW ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM MDT
FRIDAY ABOVE 5000 FEET...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MISSOULA HAS ISSUED A SNOW
ADVISORY ABOVE 5000 FEET...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT
TONIGHT TO 6 PM MDT FRIDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER
IN EFFECT. 

SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 5 INCHES ARE EXPECTED ABOVE 5000 FEET
THROUGH FRIDAY. THE CITY OF BUTTE HOWEVER WILL BE SHADOWED BY THE
WIND FLOW AND IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE SNOW ADVISORY.

A SNOW ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY
TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED ROADS AND
LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING. HUNTERS AND
BACKPACKERS IN THE BACK COUNTRY SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS.

$$

MTZ006-200300-
/O.NEW.KMSO.SN.Y.0025.061020T0600Z-061021T0000Z/
BITTERROOT/SAPPHIRE MOUNTAINS-
1206 PM MDT THU OCT 19 2006

...SNOW ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM MDT
FRIDAY ABOVE 5000 FEET...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MISSOULA HAS ISSUED A SNOW
ADVISORY ABOVE 5000 FEET...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT
TONIGHT TO 6 PM MDT FRIDAY. 

SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 5 INCHES ARE EXPECTED ABOVE 5000 FEET 
THROUGH FRIDAY.

A SNOW ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY
TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED ROADS AND
LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING. HUNTERS AND
BACKPACKERS IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR WINTER
WEATHER CONDITIONS.

$$

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
323 AM MDT THU OCT 19 2006

.SHORT TERM...WET AND COOL CONDITIONS WILL BE THE STORY OVER THE
NEXT 24 TO 36 HOURS ACROSS THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST AS A TROUGH AND
ASSOCIATED 120KT JET PUSH THROUGH THE REGION. A WAVE AHEAD OF MAIN
SYSTEM WILL MOVE OVER NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO AND WESTERN MONTANA THIS
MORNING WITH GOOD MID LEVEL WARM LAYER TO PRODUCE WIDESPREAD LIGHT
RAIN. BY THIS AFTERNOON...THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST WILL BEGIN TO
FEEL THE AFFECTS OF STRONG JET NOSING INTO THE REGION. GOOD LIFT
ASSOCIATED WITH THE JET WILL HELP ENHANCE RAIN OVER THE REGION
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. LATE TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY IS
EXPECTED TO HAVE THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE REGION.
WITH THE JET ORIENTED OVER THE MONTANA/IDAHO BORDER...SOME COOLER
AIR WILL BE ABLE TO SPILL OVER THE DIVIDE AND LOWER SNOW LEVELS
SOME. THE COOLER AIR COMBINED WITH OROGRAPHIC ENHANCEMENT OF
PRECIPITATION FROM THE JET HAS PROMPTED THE ISSUANCE OF A WINTER
STORM WATCH ABOVE 5500 FEET FOR THE DIVIDE ZONES. THE CITY OF
BUTTE HOWEVER WILL BE SHADOWED BY THIS FLOW AND WILL NOT BE
INCLUDED IN THE WATCH...JUST THE MOUNTAINS NORTH AND WEST OF
BUTTE. FRIDAY NIGHT...THE JET WILL BEGIN TO TRANSITION TO THE
EAST...KEEPING SHOWERS GOING ALONG THE DIVIDE...BUT ENDING SHOWERS
OVER NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO AND EXTREME WESTERN MONTANA.

.LONG TERM...SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...EXITING JET WILL KEEP SHOWERS
ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE AND ACROSS SOUTHWEST MONTANA INTO
SUNDAY. SATURDAY NIGHT SKIES WILL BE CLEARING FROM NORTHWEST TO
SOUTHEAST...AND WITH RECENT PRECIPITATION EXPECT VALLEY FOG TO BE
DEVELOPING AND REFORM AGAIN ON SUNDAY NIGHT. MONDAY THROUGH
TUESDAY A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE OVER THE REGION.
CONDITIONS LOOK TO REMAIN DRY WITH TEMPERATURES SLIGHTLY BELOW
NORMAL. MODELS CONTINUE TO ADVERTISE ANOTHER SYSTEM MOVING INTO
THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST LATE TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. CONTINUED TREND
OF INCREASING CLOUDS AND THE CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION.

&&

.AVIATION...LOWER CEILING AND AREAS OF REDUCED VISIBILITIES IN
STRATIFORM PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT ACROSS MUCH OF
NORTHWEST AND WEST-CENTRAL MONTANA...AS WELL AS PORTIONS OF
NORTH-CENTRAL IDAHO...OBSCURING MOUNTAINS AND PASSES. PLEASE SEE
APPROPRIATE TAFS AND TWEBS.

&&

.MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...WINTER STORM WATCH FROM MIDNIGHT TO 6 PM FRIDAY ABOVE 5500
     FEET FOR BUTTE/BLACKFOOT REGION...POTOMAC/SEELEY LAKE REGION
     AND WEST GLACIER REGION.

ID...NONE.
&&

SHORT TERM...MEAD
LONG TERM...MEAD
AVIATION...MEAD

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
426 AM MDT WED OCT 18 2006

IDZ005>010-MTZ001>007-043-182230-
NORTHERN CLEARWATER MOUNTAINS-SOUTHERN CLEARWATER MOUNTAINS-
OROFINO/GRANGEVILLE REGION-LOWER HELLS CANYON/SALMON RIVER REGION-
WESTERN LEMHI COUNTY-EASTERN LEMHI COUNTY-KOOTENAI/CABINET REGION-
WEST GLACIER REGION-FLATHEAD/MISSION VALLEYS-
LOWER CLARK FORK REGION-MISSOULA/BITTERROOT VALLEYS-
BITTERROOT/SAPPHIRE MOUNTAINS-BUTTE/BLACKFOOT REGION-
POTOMAC/SEELEY LAKE REGION-
326 AM PDT WED OCT 18 2006 /426 AM MDT WED OCT 18 2006/

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL
IDAHO...NORTHWEST MONTANA AND WEST CENTRAL MONTANA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

INCREASING CLOUDS WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS...MAINLY THIS AFTERNOON.
SHOWERS BECOMING SCATTERED OVERNIGHT. .

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

A STRONG DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA THURSDAY THROUGH
EARLY FRIDAY. SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED WITH THIS
SYSTEM. HOWEVER...IT APPEARS THAT SNOW LEVELS WILL REMAIN JUST
ABOVE MAJOR IMPACT AREAS LIKE MOUNTAIN PASSES.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.