Happy Tuesday! An active 24-48 hours lie ahead for central and eastern Montana. Here's what I'm tracking:
Southwest flow aloft increases today ahead of a cold front, warming us into the upper 80s and lower 90s. Low relative humidity combined with gusty winds will elevate fire danger, especially for southwest Montana.
Breezy conditions this afternoon with winds picking up to around 10-20mph out of the southwest, and gusts could reach 35mph.
A strong cold front moves through between sunset tonight and sunrise Wednesday. A line of showers and thunderstorms will accompany the frontal passage between 10pm and 6am. The storms could produce gusty winds and lightning.
Temperatures drop significantly behind the front. Highs will only reach the 50s and 60s on Wednesday. A low pressure system will rotate through north central Montana on Wednesday, resulting in a cool, blustery, and damp October-like afternoon. Snow levels drop to 6000' behind the front. Glacier National Park may receive a quick coating of snowfall. Winds remain gusty through Thursday morning, with sustained winds of 15-25mph gusting to 40+mph at times.
Temperatures rebound quickly with highs back up into the 80s by Friday and throughout the holiday weekend. We might even flirt with 90 degrees on Labor Day!
