By Alex Sosnowski, Expert Senior Meteorologist
Apr 6, 2012; 3:00 PM ET
This weekend, a major snowstorm and perhaps a blizzard are aiming for areas of Montana and Saskatchewan that have had little winter this year.
A storm system rolling northeastward across the Intermountain West of the United States to end the week will strengthen as it swings past the northern Rockies. The storm can become quite dramatic over the region.
While the upcoming storm will lack bitterly cold air, it can produce whiteout conditions at times in snow and blowing snow. (Photos.com image)
Travel along portions of I-15, I-90 and I-94 could be hindered by heavy snow, low visibility and strong winds in the U.S. as well as highways 1, 11 and 16 in Canada.
The storm will tap a temperature contrast of warmth over the Great Plains of the U.S. and sufficiently cold air over the Canada Rockies. The result will be a storm with increasing wind and snow from central and northeastern Montana to southern and central Saskatchewan Friday night into Saturday.
While a shift in the storm track could alter the field of heavy snow, the Plains and Prairies area from Glasgow, Mont., to Regina and Saskatoon in Saskatchewan could be in the heart of the storm for a time with a windswept plastering of snow.
A narrow swath of a foot (30 centimeters) or more of snow is likely to streak northeastward from central Montana, across part of southern Saskatchewan and into west-central Manitoba.
However, the storm will put down substantial snow prior to this farther to the south and west over Montana and the northern Rockies in general through Friday.
Upslope areas in in western Montana and northwestern Wyoming can also pick up a foot of snow with much more in the high country. As the storm swings out to the northeast and strengthens, these areas will also notice a period of strong winds.
South and east of the storm track, high wind will feed the system over the Dakotas, portions of Minnesota and southern Manitoba. This area will also receive a bit of rain and perhaps a thunderstorm.
However, by Easter Sunday some snow and wind will streak eastward into southern Manitoba and the Winnipeg area.
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