On Wednesday, residents of Northwest Montana awoke to cold weather conditions that one would typically expect to encounter in late fall - not the first week of October.

Temperatures plummeted overnight, and the region received its first substantial rainfall in weeks, as cold rain pelted the dry earth and cleared the air of the lingering haze from area wildfires. At higher elevations, the precipitation turned to snow, as evidenced by the frosted peaks of the Mission Mountains. As of Wednesday afternoon, a "Winter Weather Advisory" issued by the National Weather Service was in effect in the Missions and much of the area near Glacier National Park.

Though temperatures in Polson registered in the upper 40s on Wednesday morning, slightly warmer conditions are projected for the days ahead. Clear skies and temperatures in the 50s and 60s are expected in the coming days, with overnight lows at or below freezing.