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By Anna Skinner
Associate News Editor
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The first day of summer arrived on June 20, bringing a dangerous heat wave across much of the Central and Eastern U.S. However, some states in the northern and western parts of the country experienced snow instead.
The snowfall was considered "beneficial" in the Great Falls, Montana, forecast region, National Weather Service (NWS) lead meteorologist Cody Moldan told Newsweek, and it has already started to melt.
Why It Matters
For much of the United States, the first week of summer has brought scorching temperatures and extreme heat warnings. However, cool weather arrived in parts of the Northwest, breaking daily record temperatures and bringing a late-June snow to some high-elevation areas.
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What To Know
A dusting of snow fell over the weekend in Palisades Tahoe, California, POWDER reported, with snow also falling in parts of Oregon and Wyoming as well. On June 21, Sacramento's ABC 10 reported an unstable weather pattern brought snow to the Sierra Nevada in California.
On Sunday, wintry weather also hit central Idaho, with reports of snow in Redfish Lake, Willow Creek/Gilmore Summits, and Pomerelle Mountain Resort, according to Idaho News.
Approximately 10 inches of snow was recorded at Logan Pass in Glacier National Park, and more than a foot of snow fell at Beartooth Pass in Montana. The snow even caused whiteout conditions for an outdoor wedding in Whitefish, according to a video shared by Great Falls news station KRTV.
Cool weather accompanied the snow, with the NWS office in Great Falls, Montana, announcing that several locations in north-central and southwest Montana set new daily records for cool daytime maximum temperatures on Sunday.
"After a cool start with temperatures still below average today, temperatures warm back to near and above seasonal averages for the rest of the week into the weekend," NWS Great Falls posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday.
As of Tuesday morning, there are no winter-related storm warnings in place for the U.S.
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What People Are Saying
NWS lead meteorologist Cody Moldan told Newsweek: "June snows are normal, but it was an anomalously strong late spring, early summer storm."
Moldan added: "Even with the cold temperatures, the ground is starting to hold heat, so it is melting from below and above."
The Wyoming Department of Transportation District 5-Northwest Wyoming posted on Facebook over the weekend: "Folks, there's a darn good reason why Beartooth Pass (US212) was closed over the weekend--12 to 14 inches of snow, whiteout conditions, and wind. Drifts were in excess of three feet. Stay put, and be patient. U.S. 212 will reopen, likely today."
What Happens Next
The same states hit by late-season snow have a high chance of above-average temperatures in the coming weeks. The NWS Climate Prediction Center anticipates above-average temperatures across the Northwest over the next eight to 14 days.
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