WEATHER DISCUSSION: A cold front continues to push further south across the state, temperatures continue to gradually fall behind the front. On and off, light snow showers will continue throughout the night and the day Sunday. Most areas receive 1-3" by Monday morning, with locally higher amounts in northerly facing slopes of the Highwood, Little Belt, Bear Paw and Big Snowy mountain ranges. Snow generally tapers off Monday evening, with spotty snow showers continuing. Another storm system impacts the region Tuesday night into Wednesday. Light to moderate snow accumulation is expected across the plains, with a heavier snowfall in the mountains.
Temperatures have trended colder, especially for midweek, as highs will be in the -0s and -10s with overnight lows in the -20s and -30s. Wind chills will range from -20 to -45 across central Montana, with wind chills as cold as -50 for the Hi-Line. Frostbite can form in as little as 10 minutes with the kind of airmass expected. The most frigid temperatures are expected Tuesday night into Wednesday and Wednesday night into Thursday.
A high pressure ridge begins to influence the region by late week. A southwest, downslope breeze develops on Thursday warming temperatures into the single digits. River valleys continue to stay frigid into the weekend, as the plains warm into the 20s and 30s. Another round of snow, potentially mixed with freezing rain or plain rain in some areas, will impact the region this weekend.
SATURDAY NIGHT: Continued areas of light snowfall. Accumulation generally under an inch throughout the night. Temperatures falling into the -0s for central Montana, lower 0s for northeastern Montana.
SUNDAY: Light snow showers. Highs ranging from -5 to 5. Wind chills as low as -20. Snow showers continuing overnight as temperatures fall into the -0s and -10s. Wind chills as lows as -30.
MONDAY: Snow showers in the morning, becoming spotty by afternoon. Highs ranging from -15 to 0. Wind chill values as low as -30. Spotty snow showers overnight, otherwise mostly cloudy. Overnight lows in the -10s and -20s for central Montana, -20s to around -30 for the Hi-Line. Wind chill values as low as -40.
TUESDAY: Snow showers developing in the afternoon, and especially overnight. Highs in the -10s for north central Montana, right around 0 degrees in Helena. Overnight lows in the -20s and -30s. Wind chills as low as -50 for the Hi-Line, -25 to -40 for the rest of central Montana.
WEDNESDAY: Partly cloudy and frigid. Highs in the -10s for central and eastern Montana, -0s for the Helena area. Dangerously cold overnight as temperatures fall into the -20s and -30s. Wind chills as low as -50 for the Hi-Line, -25 to -40 for the rest of central Montana.
THURSDAY: Partly cloudy and frigid. Highs in the -0s, and -10s for northeastern Montana. A few, spotty snow showers possible. Temperatures will climb overnight into the 0s and eventually the 10s in central Montana, remaining subzero in northeastern Montana and in river valleys.
FRIDAY: Mostly cloudy with a chance for snow showers. Highs in the 20s for central Montana, 0s for eastern portions of the Hi-Line into eastern Montana. Snow showers continuing overnight as temperatures fall into the 0s and 10s for central Montana, -0s and -10s for Havre and northeastern Montana.
SATURDAY: Snow showers, potentially mixed with rain and/or freezing rain. Highs in the 20s and 30s, with 0s continuing in northeastern Montana.
