WEATHER DISCUSSION: Dry conditions are once again ahead for most of North Central Montana, the main impact tonight will be strong winds across the Rocky Mountain Front with decreasing cloud cover tonight. Low temperatures tonight will be in 30’s.
A Pacific cold front is approaching Montana from the west. Mild air ahead of the front is occurred this afternoon, with Great Falls already tying its record high of 60 degrees. The cold front will move eastward overnight tonight bringing strong winds with it.
The strongest winds will likely be between Midnight and 6 AM Sunday morning. Although, expect lulls, in which the winds are not very strong at all.
A High Wind Warning shown below is in effect for the Rocky Mountain Front and Central Montana through 5 pm on Sunday. Another period of strong winds is possible over the eastern portions of the CWA Sunday night into Monday.
In terms of snow, overall, snow accumulations will be on the lighter side, with the heaviest snowfall of around 8 to 10 inches confined to mountain areas. At lower elevations, the heaviest snow accumulations are in the Standford and Lewistown areas, where 1 to 3 inches of snow are likely. Lewistown currently has a 30 percent chance for 2 inches of snow.
Snow over the Rockies currently will slide southward and overspread Southwest MT tonight, and then across Central MT on Sunday.
A weak shortwave ridge tries to develop mid-next week, with drier conditions. However, the next upper level trough approaches by Friday, resulting in another round of light snow over Southwest MT. Drier on slightly warmer conditions next Saturday are expected as an upper level ridge tries to rebuild.
For next Friday, the chances for 2 inches of snow is quite low across all of Southwest MT. West Yellowstone has a 30 percent chance for 2 inches, while lower elevation cities in Southwest MT have less than a 10 percent chance for 2 inches of snow.
