In areas around Priest Lake, up to a foot of new snow is expected in the valley through tomorrow afternoon.
There was heavy rain today in western Montana, which has turned to snow in south Lincoln County below Libby, and the 11:55 p.m. temperature in Libby is 28 degrees, so road conditions there are likely extremely slick, with heavy snowfall of 10 to 15 inches are expected this morning through Wednesday on Highway 2 from Libby to Kalispell, Highway 37 from Libby to Eureka, and along Bull Lake Road.
Be alert to areas of dense fog, and be aware that there are potentially areas of patchy black ice on roadways throughout the region.
Snow is expected mainly after 1 a.m. with an overnight low in Bonners Ferry of around 32. Chance of precipitation through Tuesday morning is 80%, with total snow accumulation of two to four inches possible in the valleys by the time of the morning commute.
Snow could be heavy at times through the day Tuesday, with high temperatures near 36 and a north wind around seven miles per hour, which could produce lightly blowing snow which could reduce driving visibility. The chance of precipitation throughout the region is near 100%. New snow accumulation of five to nine inches in the valleys are possible by Tuesday night.
Travel will be very difficult on Tuesday. From tonight through Tuesday afternoon, valley accumulations of five to nine inches are forecast for Bonners Ferry, Naples, Sandpoint and Clark Fork.
But ...
According to the National Weather Service, temperatures hovering around the freezing point at the lower elevations make this a difficult forecast. Precipitation in valley communities may periodically be a mix of rain and snow, limiting lowland accumulations. For the mountains, this storm will produce as much as two feet of new snow tonight through Wednesday morning.
Temperatures in the low to mid 30s may limit lowland accumulations for areas south of Sandpoint.
Snow could result in trees collapsing. This could cause intermittent and sudden road closures as well as power outages. As of 11:45 p.m., there are no power outages showing in the Northern Lights service area. If outages occur and you are a Northern Lights member, call 1-866-665-4837 to report an outage. If power should go out in areas served by the City of Bonners Ferry outside of normal office hours, call the sheriff's office at (208) 267-3151, extension 0.
If possible stay off the roads, but if you must travel, keep an extra flashlight and good batteries, blankets and warm winter clothing, including boots, hats and gloves, food and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by calling 511.