The sound of wind chimes on my front porch at 3am told me winter is back with a complex storm system overhead today. A deep trough of low pressure is moving over the western US today with a large band of moisture in eastern Idaho this morning trying to move north into Montana. Adding complexity, winds are spinning around from the east in much of our forecast area.

This morning it’s snowing in most areas. As of 6am, 2 inches accumulated near West Yellowstone and Island Park, an inch near Big Sky, and a trace at Bridger and near Cooke. Temperatures are mostly in the mid to upper teens F. Light winds are blowing from the E and NE. At the Bridger Ridge, east winds are averaging 30 mph gusting to 48 mph. 

Today will be cloudy and snowy. Winds from the E and NE will increase through the day gusting in the 40s this afternoon. Snowfall amounts are tricky to forecast with east winds. Most areas will get a few inches. Mountains near West Yellowstone and Island Park are supposed to get 8-12 inches if moisture in Idaho is able to move north. My money is on Red Lodge where it was snowing hard at 4am and a foot of snow could easily stack up today.