WEATHER DISCUSSION: The Winter Weather Advisory for the Hi-Line has been allowed to expire as freezing rain is coming to an end as of Saturday evening. Pacific moisture from the atmospheric river event impacting California and the West Coast reaches Montana on Sunday. Light snowfall (moderate in the mountains) is expected for southwestern Montana, while a widespread light snowfall is anticipated throughout central and eastern Montana.
For north central Montana, scattered precipitation develops during the afternoon and evening Sunday lasting through the day Monday. Snow will be mixed with freezing rain for portions of central and eastern Montana. Snow accumulations should remain below an inch for lower elevations, ice accumulations under a tenth of an inch. However, very minimal amounts of icing can create major travel concerns. The precipitation impacts the Monday morning commute.
While many areas have been treated with well above normal temperatures in central Montana, the trend is towards cooler temperatures throughout the next 7-10 days. The weather pattern is also going to remain unsettled with several rounds of rain and snow showers anticipated for the week ahead.
SATURDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy. Patchy dense fog for the Hi-Line. Temperatures falling into the upper 10s and lower 20s for the Hi-Line, mid to upper 20s for central Montana.
SUNDAY: Mostly cloudy. Scattered mixed precipitation developing throughout the afternoon and evening. Temperatures climbing into the mid 20s for the Hi-Line, upper 30s and lower 40s for central Montana and the Rocky Mountain Front. Patchy fog developing overnight as scattered rain, snow and freezing rain continues. Temperatures falling into the upper 10s for the Hi-Line, and low to mid 20s for central Montana.
MONDAY: Scattered snow showers, followed by gradual clearing in central Montana. Snow showers continuing in eastern Montana. Highs in the mid to upper 20s for the Hi-Line, and upper 30s and lower 40s for central Montana and the Rocky Mountain Front. Continued clearing overnight as temperatures fall into the upper 10s and lower 20s for the Helena Valley and the Hi-Line, and low to mid 20s for central Montana and the Rocky Mountain Front.
TUESDAY: Mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies. Patchy fog along the Hi-Line. High temperatures in the upper 20s and lower 30s for the Hi-Line, and upper 30s and lower 40s for central Montana and the Rocky Mountain Front. Increased clouds overnight as temperatures fall into the mid to upper 10s for the Hi-Line, and low to mid 20s for central Montana and the Rocky Mountain Front.
WEDNESDAY: Mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies. A bit breezy. High temperatures in the upper 20s and low to mid 30s for the Hi-Line, upper 30s and lower 40s for central Montana and the Rocky Mountain Front. Increased cloud cover overnight as temperatures fall into the mid to upper 10s for the Hi-Line, low to mid 20s for central Montana and the Rocky Mountain Front.
THURSDAY: Chance of snow showers. Highs in the upper 20s and lower 30s for the Hi-Line, mid to upper 30s for central Montana
