Rain, snow on tap for opening weekend of hunting season

As if on cue for the beginning of hunting season, a cold front is expected to bring rain and snow into Northwest Montana this weekend.

According to the National Weather Service in Missoula, the front is going to move through on Saturday causing widespread precipitation with rain in the valleys and snow in the mountains. Precipitation appears to linger over north central Idaho into northwest Montana Saturday night as the precipitation transitions over to snow for most locations with accumulating snow expected on higher elevation roadways. There could be a foot of snow in the mountains.

A second system is anticipated for Monday into Tuesday causing more widespread precipitation with more impactful snow.

Weather officials expect temperatures to be 20 to 25 degrees colder than last week.

In Lincoln County, forecasters are predicting between one inch and three inches in Libby, Troy, Happy’s Inn and Eureka areas from Saturday through Sunday.

Sunday night, snow is expected down to 4,200 feet, dropping to 3,200 feet after midnight.

Tuesday, forecasters are saying the snow level could be at 2,500 feet, rising to 3,700 feet in the afternoon.