High pressure will continue to build in from the north allowing a bitterly cold airmass to move into the region. And that's the big weather story moving ahead!
Skies will remain mostly cloudy with random flurries at times. Highs will struggle to make it above 0° the next few days for most of the viewing area... this will likely make it into the 'top 10' for longest stretches below 0° in recorded history for Great Falls.
Overnight lows? Well, it's best you know that it'll just be downright frigid, but here are the specifics for Great Falls and Helena respectively:
- Tuesday AM: -23° / -12°
- Wednesday AM: -27° / -10°
- Thursday AM: -25° / -19°
- Friday AM: -23° / -21°
It's likely we'll see records tied or broken for a few locations the next several nights.
With that said, any breath of wind (and thank goodness there isn't looking like much) will create dangerously low wind chill values moving ahead.
A Wind Chill Warning is in place for Daniels, Sheridan, Western Roosevelt, Northern Phillips, Northern Valley, Eastern Roosevelt, Central and Southeast Phillips & Central and Southern Valley Counties until 11am Wednesday. Wind chills in these locations could approach -45° to -55° which would cause frostbite to exposed skin within minutes.
A Wind Chill Advisory for north central, central and eastern Montana until 11am Thursday for wind chill values in the -35° to -40° range.
I wouldn't be surprised if they're extended & possibly expanded, although they're rightfully in place for many areas already.
Make sure to protect yourself from the cold & always travel with an emergency kit. Additionally, don’t forget about the pets and make sure that they have adequate access to shelter if they are outside!
Thursday night and Friday will feature a few snow showers as weak disturbances move through.
Those looking for warmer temperatures have to wait until AT LEAST the end of this week. Right now, highs *could make it in the single digits above zero by Saturday &/or Sunday, but this cold air looks to have some staying power!
