NWS-Missoula issues Winter Weather Advisory for upper elevations

National Weather Service-Missoula has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for the Northern and Southern Clearwater Mountains from Saturday evening at 10 Pacific Time to Sunday at 10 a.m. Pacific Time.

A rapid change from rain to snow will occur Saturday night into early Sunday morning. Snowfall will be heavy at times and result in periods of dramatic reductions in visibility. Snow accumulations of 7-12 inches are expected above 5,000 feet in elevation.

Wet slushy road surfaces will quickly freeze in response to falling temperatures and result in potentially very dangerous driving conditions.

Locations impacted include: Elk River, State Highway 11 Pierce to Headquarters, Pierce, U.S. Highway 12 Lowell to Lolo Pass, Lolo Pass, Dixie, Elk City and numerous areas of western Montana.

Pierce, at elevation 3,241 feet, has a 100 percent chance of precipitation Saturday night with southwest winds between 5-11 miles per hour and gusts as high as 20 mph. Sunday, snow showers are forecast mainly before 4 p.m. New snow accumulations of one to three inches are possible. Sunday night there is a 20 percent chance of snow.

Orofino, at elevation 1,040 feet, is expected to get rain showers Saturday night and Sunday. Saturday night south winds from 7-16 mph are expected to become west winds after midnight. Gusts may be as high as 24 mph. Sunday will be breezy with west winds of 20-22 mph and gusts as high as 33 mph. Sunday night winds are forecast from the southwest between 5-11 mph with gusts to 20 mph.