Uff-da! It was a rough start to the morning in parts of central Montana, with very cold temperatures, blowing snow, and poor visibility as an arctic cold front dropped south across the state. While there has been some improvement, blustery conditions will persist into the afternoon as a frigid north-northwest wind gradually diminishes during the evening.
The northerly flow will continue to trigger light snow around central Montana. Another round of scattered snow is expected tonight into Saturday morning as another front passes through the area. Snow showers should taper off as we move into Saturday afternoon. Most areas in the lower elevations are expected to receive less than an inch of additional snow.
As of noon on Friday, wind chills are already in the 0s and -0s and air temperatures are in the 10s. Temperatures will continue to drop from here. It is going to be frigid this weekend as highs are going to be in the -0s, 0s and low 10s, with Sunday being the colder day. Lows this weekend are going to range from the -20s to -0s, with Sunday night being the coldest. Dangerous wind chills are anticipated throughout the weekend, with wind chills expected to be below zero through Monday night—potentially dipping as low as -45 degrees.
Please limit your time outdoors this weekend. If you must go outside, make sure to cover all exposed skin and wear multiple layers. Additionally, keep an eye on your livestock and do your best to keep them warm.
Lots of sunshine and dry conditions are expected on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Monday). Breezy conditions will return to some areas, with sustained wind speeds between 10 and 20 mph. It will still be a frigid day, with high temperatures in the 0s and 10s.
Scattered snow is possible on Tuesday and Wednesday as another disturbance passes through our area. We will also have partly to mostly cloudy skies and much warmer temperatures, with highs in the mid to upper 20s and low to mid-30s. It will be breezy on Tuesday, with sustained wind speeds of 10 to 25 mph, and a little breezy on Wednesday, with sustained wind speeds between 5 and 20 mph.
