snowblog

Winter’s About to Blow In

By Matthew Frank, 12-12-08

The Northern Rockies’ extended autumn is about to be buried in snow.

The National Weather Service forecasts a strong winter storm and an arctic cold front moving into the region this weekend, potentially dumping up to 20 inches of snow in some spots and driving temperatures well below zero. High winds, too.

It looks good for the region’s ski resorts, though, many of which have yet to fire up their lifts for the season.

Missoula’s Snowbowl could get up to 18 inches of snow by Sunday. Lone Mountain, on which Big Sky and Moonlight Basin run, could receive just as much. (Moonlight, which laid off some 90 employees after its primary lender Lehman Brothers went down, is opening today.)

In Idaho, Tamarack Resort, operating under a receivership after it filed for bankruptcy protection in February, is opening today as well.

The NWS in Boise has issued a winter storm warning for the West Central and Boise Mountains. Snowfall totals by Saturday evening will range from 8 to 15 inches above 6,000 feet. A few inches should fall in the Treasure Valley.

Happy winter.

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