Snow in mid-June? Montana, Idaho mountains pick up a heavy coating as summer takes a break
While a potentially historic heat wave this week is making headlines in the Midwest and East, some parts of the high-elevation West had a more wintry experience with snow piling up as the calendar sat just days away from the summer solstice.
Snow in June?
A hiker caught unusual June snow at Mount Pilchuk, Washington on Tuesday. "It was so beautiful and peaceful."
MISSOULA, Mont. – While a potentially historic heat wave this week is making headlines in the Midwest and East, some parts of the high-elevation West had a more wintry experience with snow piling up as the calendar sat just days away from the summer solstice.
A cold upper-level low moved into the Pacific Northwest over the weekend and tracked across the Intermountain West for the start of the workweek.
Heavy snow falls in the Montana, Idaho mountains
The upper-level settled into western Montana and central Idaho Monday and was to remain there into Tuesday, with the potential for heavy snow along the northern Rockies.
Higher elevations across large areas of the Montana and Idaho mountains saw up to a foot of snow.
(FOX Weather)
It’s only the fifth June since 2005 to have a Winter Storm Warning in Montana, according to Iowa State University’s Iowa Environmental Mesonet.
The "summer" chill won’t last, as long-range forecasts indicate temperatures quickly returning to seasonal averages by the end of the week, with the potential for hot weather looming after next weekend.