Essex reports 2 feet of snow; Columbia Falls 19.5 inches
A resident blows snow off a driveway Thursday night in Columbia Falls. (Chris Peterson photo)
An overnight blizzard that struck the Flathead Valley brought some impressive snowfall totals, with Essex reporting the most at 24 inches of new snow, according to the National Weather Service.
An observer in Columbia Falls measured 19.5 inches; Kalispell 12 inches; Eureka 17 inches and various locations on the east side of Flathead Lake saw 1 to 2 feet.
The storm was a quick one — by Thursday daybreak skies were sunny and clear, albeit cold, with temperatures at or well below zero, depending on location.
The snow did help boost the snowpack, but not as much as one might think — that Flathead River Basin is about 66% of average currently, so there’s still a long way to go to getting back to normal.
More snow is expected Friday afternoon, with a couple of inches in store. This weekend will see light rain or snow, with temperatures in the mid-30s.
No major storms are on the horizon for the next week or so.