The National Weather Service in Great Falls placed portions of central and southwest Montana — including the Helena area — under a Winter Weather Advisory from late Saturday night, October 10, through 6 a.m. Monday, October 12. Forecasters expect 2 to 5 inches of snow at lower elevations, with 5 to 8 inches in the mountains and locally higher amounts possible. Wind gusts up to 45 mph are in the forecast.
The snow is described as wet and heavy, which matters more than the accumulation totals alone. Wet snow sticks to everything — power lines, tree branches, windshields — and when the wind picks up alongside it, you get the kind of morning that makes Helena driveways an adventure. The advisory calls travel conditions difficult, not impossible, but anyone without all-season or snow tires on their vehicle should think twice before heading out Sunday morning.
This is shaping up to be the first meaningful snowstorm of the season for Helena, the kind of weekend that reminds people to dig out their ice scrapers and check whether their snow blower starts. The advisory expires at 6 a.m. Monday. Current road conditions are available through the Montana Department of Transportation's 511 service.