A RED FLAG WARNING is in effect for southwestern Montana from until 9pm Tuesday.
A HIGH WIND WARNING is in effect for Glacier County, Liberty County, northern Lewis and Clark County, western/central Pondera County, western/central Teton County, and Toole County from 9pm Tuesday until 6pm Wednesday.
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY is in effect for Glacier National Park and the Mission and Swan Mountains above 5000 feet from 6am until 6pm Wednesday.
There are going to be scattered showers and thunderstorms around tonight, especially after midnight and mainly in locations west of Phillips County and Petroleum County, as a cold front passes through our area. Most of the precipitation that falls tonight will be along and just behind the cold front, so it will be a line of showers and thunderstorms that impacts our area. Some snow is also going to fall in the mountains tonight, and minor snow accumulations are possible. We are also going to have partly to mostly cloudy skies and decreasing haze tonight.
It is also going to be breezy throughout the night tonight as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 25 mph. A period of stronger winds (gusts over 40 mph) is also possible tonight when the cold front passes through. It is also going to be cool tonight as lows are going to be in the 40s and low to mid 50s.
For tomorrow, there are going to be a few showers around during the morning as the cold front leaves our area and as an upper-level low begins to approach our area. Showers are then likely tomorrow afternoon/evening and tomorrow night, especially before midnight and generally in north-central Montana (drier conditions around Helena), as this upper-level low passes through our area.
Isolated thunderstorms are also possible tomorrow, and it will be cold enough tomorrow for some snow in the mountains, with snow levels getting as low as 5000 to 6000 feet. In most mountain ranges, accumulations will be light, but in Glacier National Park, some of the highest peaks may receive over 6” of snow, so if you are going to be recreating outdoors tomorrow in Glacier, make sure you are dressed appropriately and prepared for winter weather. In the lower elevations, make sure you have the rain jacket handy tomorrow! We are also going to start tomorrow off with some sunshine, but the cloud cover will quickly increase with mostly cloudy to overcast skies expected tomorrow afternoon/evening and tomorrow night.
Much cooler temperatures are also expected tomorrow courtesy of the cold front as highs are only going to be in the 50s and 60s in most locations. It is also going to be windy tomorrow as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 15 and 35 mph, and wind gusts over 50 mph are possible. Also, this wind is going to be coming out of the west or southwest in most locations.
On Thursday, we are going to have decreasing clouds with a few showers around during the morning in locations east of I-15 as Wednesday’s upper-level low leaves our area. Mainly sunny skies and dry conditions are then expected during the afternoon and evening. It is also going to be warmer on Thursday than it is going to be tomorrow as highs are going to be in the mid to upper 70s and low 80s in most locations. Gusty winds are also expected on Thursday in locations east of I-15 in north-central Montana as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 25 mph, and wind gusts up to 40 mph are possible.
We are then going to have beautiful weather for Friday and the holiday weekend as we are going to have lots of sunshine and dry conditions Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and we are going to have partly to mostly sunny skies and mainly dry conditions on Monday (Labor Day). There is also only going to be a little breeze around on these four days as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 5 and 20 mph. It is also going to be warm on these four days as highs are going to be in the mid to upper 80s and low 90s on Friday, Sunday, and Monday, and highs are going to be in the mid to upper 70s and low to mid 80s on Saturday.
We are then going to have partly cloudy skies on Tuesday with some isolated showers and thunderstorms around as a disturbance passes through our area. It is also going to be warm and a bit breezy on Tuesday as highs are going to be in the 80s and low 90s and sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 20 mph.
