700 
WWUS45 KMSO 111059
WSWMSO

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
400 AM MST (300 AM PST) TUE MAR 11 2003

IDZ005-MTZ001-002-004-043-111800-
NORTHERN CLEARWATER MOUNTAINS-KOOTENAI/CABINET REGION-
WEST GLACIER REGION-LOWER CLARK FORK REGION-BLACKFOOT REGION-

...A WINTER STORM WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR NORTHWEST MONTANA
   AND THE NORTHERN CLEARWATER MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO ABOVE
   5000 FEET FOR THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING...

TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 12 INCHES ABOVE 5000 FEET WILL
OCCUR ACROSS THE REGION FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY
MORNING. THEREFORE...THE WINTER STORM WATCH FOR NORTHWEST MONTANA HAS
BEEN UPGRADED TO A WINTER STORM WARNING. SNOW LEVELS WILL START OUT
NEAR 6000 FEET ACROSS THE NORTHERN CLEARWATER MOUNTAINS...THEN LOWER
TO 5000 FEET BY TONIGHT.

IN ADDITION...STRONG WEST WINDS OF 20 TO 40 MPH IN THE MOUNTAINS WILL
ACCOMPANY THE SNOWFALL...CREATING AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW
AT PASS LEVELS.

SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DECREASE BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON IN THE MOUNTAINS
...WITH SNOW LEVELS RISING ABOVE 6000 FEET BY WEDNESDAY EVENING.

$$