Snow Squall Warning Issued for Lake and Missoula Counties in Montana

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Missoula has issued a Snow Squall Warning for portions of northwestern and west central Montana. This alert was triggered by a dangerous snow squall observed by a trained spotter.

Affected Areas

The warning impacts the following regions:

• South central Lake County in northwestern Montana
• Central Missoula County in west central Montana

Specific locations in the path include Ravalli, Arlee, and Evaro. Impacted roadways include Highway 93 N between mile markers 6 and 27, and Highway 200 W near mile marker 115.

What You Should Do

Officials advise residents to consider avoiding or delaying travel until the snow squall passes your location. If you must travel, use extra caution and allow for significant extra time. Rapid changes in visibility and slick road conditions may lead to accidents.

Expected Conditions

At 3:31 PM MST, the squall was located 7 miles west of Arlee (approximately 22 miles northwest of Missoula), moving east at 10 mph. Hazards include:

• Whiteout conditions with near zero visibility.
• Intense bursts of heavy snow.
• Gusty winds up to 35 mph leading to blowing snow.

Travel will become difficult and potentially dangerous within minutes of the squall’s arrival.

Timeline

The warning is effective from 3:32 PM MST on February 18 and is currently set to expire at 4:30 PM MST on February 18, 2026.