


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Missoula, MT
Issued by NWS Missoula, MT
804 FXUS65 KMSO 180929 AFDMSO Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Missoula MT 329 AM MDT Sat Oct 18 2025 .DISCUSSION... KEY MESSAGES: - Southerly breezes and periods of light precipitation begin late Saturday - Minor travel impacts over mountain passes Sunday night/Monday due to snowfall Saturday starts with scattered areas of ground fog, mainly around rivers. Then most of the day will have breaks in the clouds along with temperatures that warm into the 50s. Already however our next system can be seen on satellite pushing into British Columbia Canada. Late afternoon Saturday the system will begin to affect far northwest MT. Expect breezy southerly winds, especially in the Camas Prairie ID. Precipitation will begin in NW MT by late afternoon and push southeast on Sunday, driven by a Pacific Cold Front. Initially, snow levels will climb above 7000 feet for much of our region before collapsing again below 5000 feet behind the cold front Sunday afternoon. While most of the precipitation will fall while the snow levels are high, area mountains overnight Sunday could receive 3 to 6 inches of snow, with locally higher amounts in the Bitterroot and Mission Mountains along with the Swan Range. Local area passes such as Lolo, Lookout, and Lost Trail could receive a couple wet inches. While Marias Pass has the best chance to see winter driving impacts with a range of 5 to 8 inches by Monday morning. The highest impacts may be for back country users with the `cold and wet` leading to potential hypothermia conditions. Plan accordingly if heading into the back country. After Monday the region will experience a warming trend and by Friday could be 15 degrees above normal under southwesterly flow. That southwesterly flow will be the harbinger of the first potentially impactful mountain snow storm of the season. There is a moderate risk for heavy snow, October 25 to 27th. More to come on this system. && .AVIATION...Patchy morning valley fog or low stratus may redevelop this morning. Southerly winds during the afternoon are expected in front of another Pacific Cold Front. Expect periods of light precipitation after midnight temporarily reducing visibility and ceilings during the day tomorrow. && .MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MT...None. ID...None. && $$