WEATHER DISCUSSION: A gusty breeze will continue over the next several days, even in the mountains, leading to blowing snow and slippery travel. There will also continue to be scattered, light snow showers around with any additional accumulations confined to higher elevations.
An arctic cold front pushes south into the region on Friday morning. A widespread snowfall will accompany plummeting temperatures Friday afternoon into Saturday. High temperatures will be about 20-30 degrees colder on Saturday compared to Friday. It will likely be the coldest air since before Christmas.
Dangerous wind chills well below zero are likely for central and eastern Montana. Prepare pets and livestock for the frigid temperatures and consider postponing any Friday travel plans.
MONDAY NIGHT: Decreasing clouds and breezy. A sustained WSW breeze at 10-20 MPH gusting up to 35 MPH. Temperatures falling into the low to mid 20s.
TUESDAY: Increasing clouds and remaining breezy. A sustained SW breeze at 10-20 MPH gusting to 40 MPH at times. A few, light snow showers in the afternoon. A coating to 3 inches of accumulation in the mountains, less than an inch for lower elevations. Mostly cloudy overnight as temperatures fall into the upper 10s and lower 20s.
WEDNESDAY: Mostly cloudy, a few rain and snow showers developing in the afternoon. Light accumulation expected. Highs in the lower 30s for the Helena Valley and the Hi-Line, mid to upper 30s for the Rocky Mountain Front and central Montana. Scattered rain and snow showers continuing in eastern Montana, mostly cloudy for central Montana. Temperatures falling into the mid to upper 20s.
THURSDAY: Mostly cloudy, scattered rain/snow showers, and windy. A sustained SW breeze at 15-30 MPH gusting to 45 MPH at times. Highs in the upper 30s for the Hi-Line and the Helena Valley, low to mid 40s for the Rocky Mountain Front and central Montana. Temperatures falling into the upper 20s and lower 30s overnight.
FRIDAY: Snow, breezy. Temperatures starting in the low to mid 30s falling into the 10s and 20s during the evening. Overnight lows in the upper 0s and lower 10s as snow showers continue.
SATURDAY: Snow showers tapering. Frigid with subzero wind chills. Highs in the upper 0s and lower 10s.
