A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY is in effect for the northern Rocky Mountain Front from 12am Thursday until 6am Friday. 2 to 5 inches of snow accumulation is expected in the lower elevations and 6 to 12 inches of snow accumulation is expected in the mountains.
Rain showers and isolated thunderstorms are likely this evening and tonight as a disturbance passes through our area. Some snow is also possible along the Divide and along portions of the Rocky Mountain Front. We are also going to have mostly cloudy to overcast skies tonight. It is also going to be cool and a little breezy tonight as lows are going to be in the mid to upper 30s and low to mid 40s and sustained wind speeds are going to be between 5 and 20 mph.
For tomorrow, there are going to be scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms around, especially in western portions of north-central Montana. This precipitation will generally be in the form of rain, but a mixture of snow and rain is expected along portions of the Rocky Mountain Front and in Glacier County, and that’s where a coating to a few inches of snow accumulation is possible through tomorrow night. We are also going to have mostly cloudy to overcast skies tomorrow. There is also going to be a breeze around again tomorrow, especially during the afternoon and evening, as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 25 mph.
On Friday, we are going to have mostly cloudy skies with developing rain/snow during the afternoon/evening, generally around Helena and in western portions of north-central Montana (including along the Rocky Mountain Front and along the I-15 corridor), as an upper-level trough begins to work its way into our area. It is also going to be breezy in some areas on Friday as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 20 mph.
We are also going to have a wide range of temperatures tomorrow and Friday, with the temperatures cooling down some over these two days. Tomorrow, highs are going to range from the mid 30s to the low 70s, and on Friday, highs are going to range from the low 30s to the mid 60s, with the coolest temperatures on both days along and just east of the Rocky Mountain Front and the warmest temperatures on both days in eastern Montana.
Sloppy weather is then expected this weekend as an upper-level trough is going to be in complete control of our weather. Snow is likely this weekend in the mountains, and there are going to be areas of snow and rain around this weekend in the lower elevations. There is still a lot of uncertainty on how much of the precipitation will fall as rain versus snow in the lower elevations, but a few to several inches of snow accumulation is possible in some lower elevation locations, especially those in central and western portions of north-central Montana. For those of you in northeastern Montana, this should primarily be a rain event. We are also going to have overcast skies this weekend.
It is also going to be chilly this weekend as highs are going to be in the 30s and low to mid 40s in most locations (upper 40s and low to mid 50s in northeastern Montana). There is also going to be a breeze around in some areas this weekend as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 20 mph.
There are then going to be areas of rain and snow around on Monday, especially during the morning, as this upper-level trough begins to leave our area. We are also going to have mostly cloudy skies and warmer temperatures on Monday as highs are going to be in the 40s and low to mid 50s in most locations. It is also going to be a little breezy on Monday as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 5 and 20 mph.
We are then going to have partly to mostly sunny skies, mainly dry conditions, and comfortable temperatures on Tuesday as highs are going to be in the 50s and upper 40s in most locations. There is also going to be a breeze around on Tuesday as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 20 mph.
On Wednesday, we are going to have partly to mostly sunny skies with a few rain and snow showers around, generally in the mountains, as a disturbance passes through our area. It is also going to feel nice outside on Wednesday as highs are going to be in the 50s and low 60s in most locations.
