An early season winter blast brought a foot of snow to Montana Wednesday, canceling school buses and sending residents for their shovels. 

With the storm moving east, major portions of the country can expect a winter blast in the coming days before the calendar even turns to November. 

Winter Storm Archer brought a reported 10 inches of snow to central Montana, a foot in Helena, while other areas along the Rocky Mountain front had 6 to 8 inches. 

A second wave of snow will hit the area tonight, and the National Weather Service predicts a total snowfall of 6 to 12 inches for eastern Montana and western North Dakota. 

Winter Storm Warnings, Winter Storm Watches and Winter Weather Advisories are in place through Thursday impacting more than 2.7 million Americans, according to Fox Weather.

A woman shovels snow in Helena, Montana, as the first major winter storm of the season dropped a foot of snow in the area

The National Weather Service said heavy snow rates reaching one inch per hour and snow-covered, icy roads will lead to difficult travel conditions. 

‘Roads may be snow-covered and slippery in the Cascades, northern Rockies and Northern Plains into Thursday,’ said Weather.com

‘That includes stretches of Interstates 15, 25, 90 and 94. Particularly treacherous travel is possible over mountain passes.’ 

Plow truck drivers for Bozeman, Montana, were on the roads early Wednesday morning, according to NBC Montana.

‘We like to get the snow all cleared to the sides, so people can get to and from work and get to what they want to do. As well as people visiting our city. We want them to say, “hey it’s easier to get around here,”‘ said John Van Delinder, street superintendent, City of Bozeman.

There is a possibility of 1 to 2 feet of snow in the Cascades of Northern Washington through the Northern Rockies. 

‘Some snow is expected to mix in with rain for the interior Northwest and northern Great Basin, but accumulations here should be limited,’ said the National Weather Service.

The snow in Helena led to school buses canceling their routes, and residents scrambling to clear the streets of the wintery mix.  

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Montana residents shared videos of their homes covered in snow on TikTok.

‘So I know we live in Montana, but I don’t think I was quite prepared mentally for this,’ said one user. 

‘Little bit of snow here today. That’s how much it snowed last night, October in Montana,’ said a user named Rock Nichols.

Going into Friday, eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota can expect to accumulate a few inches of snow.

The National Weather Service said, ‘In addition to the heavy snow, a winter blast will follow the cold front pushing southward across the Northern Rockies and Plains, with these frigid temperatures expanding southeastward through the end of the week.’

AccuWeather forecasts that by Thursday the snow will expand south and east, into a portion of the central Rockies and Plains.

A person clears a snow-covered sidewalk in Montana. A second wave of snow will come through the area Wednesday night into Thursday

Snow-covered roads in Montana. The National Weather Service said heavy snow rates reaching one inch per hour and snow-covered, icy roads will lead to difficult travel conditions

Some rain is expected to fall on Tuesday and Wednesday in parts of the northern Plains before the snow, leading to hazardous road conditions.

‘As temperatures fall well below freezing later in the week, this can lead to freeze-up issues and slick spots on roads and highways,’ said AccuWeather Meteorologist Joseph Bauer.

The Artic chill following the storm will be even more frigid, warns AccuWeather.

‘In the wake of this storm, an Arctic air mass will usher in the coldest air of the season,’ said Bauer. 

‘Temperature readings 15-35 degrees below the historical average can be expected in Montana and Wyoming by Thursday night.”