Impressive numbers from cold snap
Steam rises from McDonald Creek Dec. 22 as temperatures dipped to 33 below in West Glacier. (Chris Peterson photo)
Snowstorms, bitter cold, clear skies and freezing rain.
That’s what the weather has dished up in the past week.
A snowstorm pounded the area with about a foot of snow Dec. 20 into the early hours of Dec. 21. But then skies cleared, winds calmed and one of the longest nights of the year was also one of the coldest nights of year.
At Glacier Park International Airport the temperature dropped to 33 below zero the morningof Dec. 22, breaking the previous record of 25 below set in 1990. West Glacier also recorded 33 below officially, but other sensors raw it colder than that.
Other parts of the Flathead were colder still. The Hungry Horse Dam recorded 36 below and Polebridge recorded 46 below.
Statewide, West Yellowstone was 49 below and Bozeman 45 below.
On Dec. 23, Malta had the coldest temperature in the state at 51 below zero, while Potomac, northeast of Missoula was 49 below.
On Dec. 23 in the Bad Rock Canyon the temperature was at or just below zero, but freezing rain and sleety snow fell as warm Pacific air overrode the arctic air that had its origins in Siberia.
By Christmas Day it was all freezing rain with highs in the 30s.
Potomac saw an 86 degree temperature swing, as it was 37 on Monday and raining.
The active weather pattern is expected to continue through the week, with rain and snow and highs into the 20s and 30s through the weekend.