Rare June Winter Storm Warnings Issued for Northern Rockies

Your eyes are not deceiving you. A rare winter storm warning has been issued in late June for portions of the northern Rockies. Read on for the details of this winter weather maker striking at a time when summer is ramping up elsewhere in the U.S.

Winter Storm Warnings in Effect for Northern Rockies High Country

Winter storm warnings are in effect for the higher terrains of Montana and Idaho, with the inclement conditions expected to persist into Tuesday. A potent cold front is bringing frigid temperatures to the northern Rockies into the start of the week. The potentially record-breaking temperatures have been cold enough to support the development of snow in the higher elevations of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.

While late-season snow is not unusual in the northern Rockies, the timing of this event on the first full weekend of summer is surprising by any measure. Summer vacationers at some of the country's busiest national parks have been caught off guard by the unseasonal cold and wintry conditions.

Some areas of the northern Great Basin and the northern Rockies will continue to see overnight lows slide into the 30s on Monday night. Daily record lows could be challenged in eastern portions of Oregon and Idaho. The coldest spots could pick up frost or even freeze conditions.

Morning lows are forecast to land in the upper 40s to start the week in Boise. In addition to Boise, some areas of the Salt Lake Valley in Utah and over into Reno will see overnight lows in the 40s.

The cold air first moved over the Pacific Northwest late last week. It was an unseasonably chilly weekend for Seattle, Portland, and Spokane. Highs topped out in the 60s and low 70s, marking quite the shift from readings that hit the 90-degree threshold to start the week.

Now that the cold air is moving to the east, it is Idaho, Montana, and the northwestern corner of Wyoming that will carry the banner of the coldest spot in the nation. The mercury will struggle to climb out of the 40s and 50s in this region. For instance, Missoula, Montana, will top out with highs in the 50s on Monday, continuing the trend from the weekend. While this college town will dodge the snow, rainfall of about a quarter of an inch will make for a messy start to the work week.

Where to Expect the Snow

The surge of cold air will pair with plenty of energy to produce snow flurries over the high country of Idaho, western Montana, and the northwestern edge of Wyoming. Snow levels will fall to as low as 6,000 feet in western Montana and Idaho. These levels are expected to bottom out at about 8,000 feet in northwestern Wyoming.

Several inches of accumulation are in the forecast for the hardest hit areas. It is not out of the question for isolated areas to pick up about a foot of snow. Ground surface temperatures on pavement are likely to remain warm enough to stave off snowy road conditions; however, significant accumulation will be the story for the grassy areas.

This is the time of the year when vacationers flock to the national parks that dot the landscape of the northern Rockies. Visitors to Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Glacier national parks should be prepared for the winter-like conditions through Tuesday. Temperatures will begin to moderate on Wednesday.

Dressing in layers is always a good idea when visiting these parks. While most roads should remain clear, motorists will want to be aware of the threat of slush or icy conditions in the overnight hours along popular roadways, such as the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park. The websites of these national parks are good resources when checking for road closures and other issues that may impact your visit.

The lower elevations surrounding the parks will escape the wintry precipitation, but the rain will put a damper on outdoor plans. Kalispell, Montana, will wake up to a steady rainfall on Monday morning. The town that serves as the gateway to Glacier National Park is forecast to pick up about a quarter of an inch of rain. Highs will hover in the mid 60s before bottoming out in the mid 50s after the sun goes down.

Although snow this late in June certainly is unusual for most parts of the country, it is not uncommon to see the flakes fly this late into the season across the northern Rockies and other top terrains of the West. Over the last few years, the Mountain West has seen measurable snowfall in June of 2025, 2023, 2020, and 2019. The year 2016 was an even more notable anomaly with snow in July.

When pulling the lens out to the major cities of the region, snow has been recorded in June in Denver, Flagstaff, Salt Lake City, and Tahoe City. In other words, this week's weather event may not be as bizarre as it seems on the outset.

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