Snow Squall Warning Issued for Lake and Sanders Counties in Northwestern Montana

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Missoula has issued a Snow Squall Warning for southwestern Lake County and southeastern Sanders County in northwestern Montana. This alert was issued at 3:56 PM MDT following the observation of a dangerous snow squall by the public.

Affected Areas

The warning covers specific geographic regions in northwestern Montana, including:

• Southwestern Lake County
• Southeastern Sanders County

Impacted locations include Polson, Ravalli, Ronan, St. Ignatius, Pablo, Turtle Lake, Arlee, Old Agency, Kerr, Dixon, Allentown, Moiese, Round Butte, Kicking Horse, Charlo, and Fort Connah.

Travelers on the following highways should expect hazardous conditions:

• Highway 93 N: Between mile markers 15 and 60.
• Highway 200 W: Between mile markers 108 and 115.

Expected Conditions

At 3:55 PM MDT, the squall was located along a line extending from 16 miles east of Ronan to 8 miles north of Old Agency, moving southeast at 25 mph.

Hazards include:

• Whiteout conditions with near-zero visibility.
• Intense bursts of heavy snow.
• Gusty winds up to 20 mph leading to blowing snow.
• Rapidly deteriorating travel conditions, which may become dangerous within minutes.

What You Should Do

Residents and motorists are advised to consider avoiding or delaying travel until the snow squall passes. If you must travel, use extra caution and allow for significant extra travel time. Rapid changes in visibility and slick road conditions are likely to lead to accidents.

If you are currently traveling on a highway, find the nearest exit or rest area and park safely away from traffic. Wait for the squall to pass before attempting to resume your journey.

Timeline

The Snow Squall Warning is effective immediately and is set to expire at 4:45 PM MDT on March 14, 2026.