West Braces Mountain Snow; Anchorage Flood Concerns

A Pacific low tied to an atmospheric river will bring another round of rain to the U.S. West and an early‑season mountain snow event with a sharp cool‑down this weekend. Montana is expected to see accumulating snow above roughly 5,000–6,000 feet — including Glacier Park and the Absaroka‑Beartooths, where 8–18 inches are possible and parts of the Beartooth Highway are already closed — with winter advisories/warnings for counties including Butte‑Blackfoot, Madison and Gallatin. Colorado’s high country and Northern California’s Sierra are also likely to see snow confined mainly to higher elevations, while valley rain continues elsewhere. In Alaska, heavy Southcentral rain has produced localized flood concerns, including a flood advisory for the Anchorage Bowl, while areas north of the Alaska Range are seeing wintry mixes and lingering interior snow into Friday. Brief localized frost is possible in parts of Pennsylvania and western Maryland early Thursday, with a warming trend expected in some western areas next week as the storm departs. Long‑range outlooks diverge — AccuWeather warns of a colder, stormier winter for the Midwest/Great Lakes/Northeast while NOAA and other forecasters show more uncertainty — and the Met Office indicates a chance of very light, isolated snow in parts of northern Scotland around Oct. 12–13.