Happy Tuesday! We are waking up to the coldest air of winter in most areas, with wind chills in the -30s, -40s, and -50s, and air temperatures ranging from the -10s to the -30s. This is dangerously cold weather; frostbite can occur on exposed skin in just 15 minutes in such extreme conditions.
For today, we can expect increasing clouds, along with a few scattered flurries and light snow showers during the afternoon and evening. Accumulation will range from a coating to an inch of snow. A light breeze will develop this afternoon, with sustained winds between 5-15 mph, causing wind chills to remain below zero throughout the day.
Tonight, with more clouds in the sky, temperatures won't be as frigid, but it will still be bitterly cold. Overnight lows will fall into the -10s and -20s. Tomorrow, daytime highs will reach the 0s and 10s, and wind chills will be in the -20s, -30s, and -40s during the morning, and the -0s, -10s, and -20s during the afternoon and evening. Winds will strengthen on Wednesday along the Rocky Mountain Front, with sustained speeds between 15-25 mph, while winds across the plains will be 10-20 mph.
Temperatures will continue to rise into the 10s with increased cloud coverage on Thursday. Another widespread snowfall is expected on Friday as a system passes through our area, with most areas receiving 1-4 inches of snow by Saturday morning. Temperatures will dip again, with daytime highs in the 0s. Saturday will bring more clouds and some snow showers during the morning, with high temperatures reaching the 0s and low to mid-10s.
Finally, warmer air is expected to move into central and north-central Montana on Sunday and Monday, bringing highs in the 10s, 20s, and lower 30s. We may also see some snow chances on Sunday and Monday as a couple of systems traverse the area.
