WEATHER DISCUSSION: High temperatures today remained mild and warm across the region, with high temperatures in the low to upper 60’s in North Central MT. Expect low temperatures tonight in the 40’s and 50’s with partly cloudy to mostly cloudy skies. Breezy, Northwest winds are expected along the Hi-line, particularly east of Havre through Glasgow with gusts up to 40 mph.
A cold front continues to move through most of the state, promoting a band of scattered showers to push its way Northeast from Lewistown to Miles City. This activity will gradually taper off through the evening as a high-pressure system moves into the region. In the meantime, North/northwest flow has the potential to drag some of the wildfire smoke down out of Canada today through tomorrow evening. The most likely impacts will be seen in the form of hazy skies, particularly across North Central Montana. While there will definitely be smoke aloft, the current forecast is that very little, if any, will be able to mix down to the surface enough to cause reductions in air quality or visibility.
As the high-pressure system slides eastward, noticeably warmer air will be pushed into the area for Sunday and Monday, resulting in a very warm day Monday with many lower elevation locations seeing highs reach the upper 80s and lower 90s. This heat will not last long as a weak surface low pressure system and cold front will push through late Monday or early Tuesday, bringing cooler surface temperatures back into the 70’s for the rest of the week.
A second, stronger system in the Pacific NW will help funnel moisture into the area, kicking off scattered to widespread showers and thunderstorms. An unsettled pattern looks to persist through the remainder of the week as southwesterly flow develops over the area, allowing Pacific moisture to work into the area.
