Good morning and happy Thursday! It was a pleasantly cool start to the day, with temperatures at Great Falls airport bottoming out at 44° and most locations in north-central Montana hovering in the 40s. However, the light jacket won't be needed for long, as temperatures will climb into the low to mid-80s later this afternoon.
A low pressure system currently anchored off the coast of British Columbia is set to dive south and strengthen, creating a strong southerly flow across Montana. This will propel temperatures into the low to mid-90s on Friday, with Great Falls forecasted to reach a high of 93° — 12° above normal.
The southerly flow will also cause breezy conditions and an elevated fire danger on Friday. Sustained winds of 15-25mph with gusts over 30mph for central Montana, gusts over 40mph are possible into southwest Montana, where the fire danger will be greatest. Monsoonal moisture will trigger scattered showers and thunderstorms Friday evening lasting into the early overnight hours. Strong wind gusts will be the greatest concern with Friday's storms.
A cold front will precede the arrival of an approaching Pacific storm system, which will start a transition to significantly cooler temperatures. Temperatures will begin to drop from west to east, although eastern Montana will still see hot temperatures lingering on Saturday. Breezy conditions will persist, and scattered showers will continue throughout the weekend.
Sunday will bring significantly cooler weather, with temperatures struggling to reach the 60s for most of central and eastern Montana. The coolest temperatures will be felt Sunday morning, when a few spots in southwest Montana may even dip into the 30s. There’s also a possibility of some snow showers above 8,000 feet, although substantial accumulation isn’t expected at this time.
A weak high pressure ridge will provide a pleasant start to the next work week with high temperatures in the upper 70s and lower 80s. But, another low will pass through next week bringing cooler than normal temperatures and unsettled conditions. Enjoy your Thursday!
