First Winter Weather Watch of the Season Ahead This Weekend

While much of the central U.S. basks in an early October surge of heat, the first winter storm watch of the season in the U.S. has just been issued for parts of Montana and Wyoming. Read on for all of the details of the arrival of Old Man Winter in this part of the country.

First Winter Weather Watch of the Season Goes into Effect Late Saturday

Not all of the country will be enjoying record-challenging warmth this weekend. The first winter storm watch of the season has been issued for parts of Montana and Wyoming. The watch is the first one of its kind in the continental U.S. since June 22, 2025. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued the watch for the high terrains of Glacier National Park and into West Yellowstone, Montana. This watch also extends to the south across some of the top terrains in the northern tier of Wyoming.

A mass of cooler temperatures circulating across the Rocky Mountains will pair with a batch of lingering moisture to support the development of snow along the top peaks of southern Montana and the northern edge of Wyoming. Snow levels will remain high on Friday, relegated to elevations of 9,500 feet or greater. This snow level will slide to about 7,500 - 8,500 feet on Saturday. The result will be a chance of several inches of accumulation to kick off the weekend.