000 
WWUS85 KMSO 302145
SABMSO
WWUS85 KMSO 302145
SABMSO

WEST CENTRAL MONTANA BACKCOUNTRY FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
245 PM MST THU JAN 30 2003

DISCUSSION...AN ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN WILL PERSIST OVER THE AREA AS
ANOTHER WEATHER SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO THE REGION AFTER MIDNIGHT. WARM
AND MOIST AIR WILL PROVIDE FOR SNOW BY DAYBREAK...WITH RAIN AT THE
LOWER ELEVATIONS. THE BEST ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL BE DURING THE
MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON ON FRIDAY...AND MAINLY IN THE HIGHER
TERRAIN. SNOW LEVEL WILL BE DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE AS TEMPERATURES
WILL BE HOVERING NEAR OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE 32 DEGREES THROUGH MUCH OF
THE 4500-6500FT LAYER. SNOWS WILL LINGER INTO SATURDAY...BUT THE
ATMOSPHERE WILL DRY OUT SUNDAY...LEAVING ONLY ISOLATED SNOW SHOWERS.

FRI...RAIN AND SNOW. WINDY AT RIDGETOPS. TEMPERATURES COOLING IN THE
      HIGHER ELEVATIONS DURING THE DAY.
SAT...RAIN AND SNOW LIKELY IN THE MORNING...TURNING TO ISOLATED TO
      SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS. LOCALLY BRISK IN THE MOUNTAINS.
SUN...PARTLY TO MOSTLY CLOUDY. ISOLATED SNOW SHOWERS. LOCALLY BRISK
      IN THE MOUNTAINS.

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            MAX    WIND        PRECIPITATION         SNOW LEVEL (FT)
            TEMP               TYPE   AMOUNT         5 AM     5 PM
4000-6000 FT --------------------------------------------------------
FRI...      36-46 WSW 12-22 RAIN/SNOW 1-3 INCHES     6500     5200
SAT...      36-46   W  8-18 RAIN/SNOW 2-4 INCHES     4200     4500
SUN...      30-40   W  7-17    SNOW   0-1 INCHES     SURFACE SURFACE

6000-8000 FT --------------------------------------------------------
FRI...      29-37   W 20-35    SNOW   3-7 INCHES
SAT...      26-36 WNW 12-22    SNOW   3-6 INCHES
SUN...      26-36  NW 15-25    SNOW   1-2 INCHES
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