Winters are they that bad?

[JustAGoodPerson]

Originally Posted by mandapanda

Forgot to mention that the really different thing here with winter is that it lasts a loooong time.

how long does a winter last? what months are there snow so bad that you cannot walk out without shoveling...?

[NYMTman]

Snow season runs from October through May. You can also get snowfalls as early as September and as late as June. Heck, I've seen it snow 6 inches in Anaconda in August, but that was over a decade ago. Unless you live in the mountains, though, you should be able to get out of your house at any point of the year. Leaving town and going over passes are a different story entirely.

[jimj]

February is about the worst month around the Flathead but that is in a "normal" year which hasn't been seen here in a while. I think it's hard to say anymore with any accuracy.

[wsm41bn]

I got the 5/4 ton ready for the move, i was wondering if i should change to a 5w40 syn this winter?

[DianaTWM]

The winters here in eastern and southeastern Montana are mild compared to what they were during my childhood (I'm in my 40's). There is a long season of cold, but not much snow anymore. This isn't a mountainous area, so the worst of the weather, in my opinion, is the blizzard conditions that arise with snowstorms and wind.

[Morganpony]

The jury is still out on whether Montana will see a mild or rough winter this year, but that doesn't stop the National Weather Service from making some predictions.

At one time, a winter forecast of a building La Niña (as opposed to the dreaded El Niño) brought smiles to Montanans. After all, we pride ourselves on withstanding long, cold winters with ample snow for skiing and snowshoeing. A La Niña means winter weather even colder than our normal cold. Remember, we hold the lower 48 states record for cold with a reading of 70 degrees below zero, and many Montana mountain locations exceed 300 inches, and even 400 inches, of snow in a "normal year."

[jimj]

Current predictions are 25-35% above normal precip with a 50/50 chance of average/below average temps.

[NYMTman]

Originally Posted by Morganpony

The jury is still out on whether Montana will see a mild or rough winter this year, but that doesn't stop the National Weather Service from making some predictions.

At one time, a winter forecast of a building La Niña (as opposed to the dreaded El Niño) brought smiles to Montanans. After all, we pride ourselves on withstanding long, cold winters with ample snow for skiing and snowshoeing. A La Niña means winter weather even colder than our normal cold. Remember, we hold the lower 48 states record for cold with a reading of 70 degrees below zero, and many Montana mountain locations exceed 300 inches, and even 400 inches, of snow in a "normal year."

Here in Bozeman we've already had 8 inches of snow thus far. Predictable since the La Nina is going crazy - even stronger than the NWS predicted

It'll be a fun winter