Tuesday will be slightly cooler as a cold front dropped through overnight, with highs in the 40s. Snow continues to fall near the Continental Divide as a large plume of Pacific moisture makes its way to the region.
Another round of snow showers develops late tonight into Wednesday morning in the same areas as another front moves through. More snow accumulation is expected over the mountain passes, and there could be a few bursts of snow early Wednesday morning in the lower elevations of central Montana. High temperatures in the 40s and lower 50s.
Tuesday starts off breezy, and the wind picks up overnight into Wednesday morning as the front passes through. A High Wind Watch is in effect from Tuesday night through Friday morning. While this entire timeframe will not feature intense winds, there will be times when it is extremely windy along the Rocky Mountain Front, with sustained winds between 35-55 mph and gusts of 90-100+ mph. These strong winds will continue to spill out across the plains during the day on Wednesday. Sustained westerly winds of 30-40 mph, with gusts up to 60-70 mph. Be prepared for strong crosswinds on north-south roads and highways. Travel will be difficult for high-profile vehicles, especially closer to the Rocky Mountain Front.
Thursday will be mild and mostly cloudy, with highs in the 40s and lower 50s. Then, a cold front drops in from the north, bringing snow to the area Friday night. Snow showers will linger into Saturday morning as much colder air settles in for the weekend. Gusty winds continue on Friday ahead of the front, with gusts up to 50 mph, but winds will die down behind the front. High temperatures start out in the 30s and 40s but fall into the 20s and 30s throughout the day Friday. On Saturday, highs only reach the 10s and lower 20s in central Montana, with 30s near Helena.
High pressure builds back in heading into March, and the first week of the month looks to start mild and mostly dry, with highs in the 40s and lower 50s.
