WEATHER DISCUSSION: A cold and dry night is expected with mostly cloudy skies and low temperatures ranging in the single digits to the 20’s. Wind gusts will be around 10 to 20 mph for most of North Central Montana other than the Rocky Mountain Front, where winds could reach 50 mph.
Broad ridging over the Pacific will gradually shift eastward towards the Northern Rockies through the upcoming work week, with several weak disturbances within the northwest flow aloft. These disturbances will mainly produce light snow showers or flurries across Central and North Central Montana. A cold front moving through the area tonight will help usher in below normal temperatures
By Monday, temperatures begin to warm up over the plains as winds increase along the MT Hwy 200 corridor and along the Rocky Mountain Front in the 40’s for most areas. Additional moderation in temperatures will then occur on Tuesday as southwest to west winds increase and spread further northeast over the plains of Central and North Central Montana. The coolest temperatures of this period will occur along the Hi-Line, with high temperatures in the 20’s and 30’s. Highs from Wednesday through the remainder of the week are expected to range in the 30’s to near 50’s.
A strong pressure gradient is likely to develop along the Rocky Mountain Front during the afternoon hours on Monday and persisting through the day on Tuesday. This will produce wing gusts up to 30-40 mph for most of North Central Montana. An impact with the winds will be blowing snow. Though there aren’t going to be much new snow accumulations, old snow will still have an opportunity to drift. Expect the biggest chance to see drifting snow Monday morning/afternoon as winds increase.
SATURDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy with lows in single digits to 20’s. 10 to 20 mph winds gusts.
SUNDAY: Partly sunny then mostly cloudy with highs in 20’s an lows in teens. 5 to 10 mph winds with gusts up to 20 mph. Small chance of light snow showers/flurries.
MONDAY: Partly cloudy with highs in 30’s/40’s and lows in 20’s/30’s. Breezy, gusts up to 40 mph.
TUESDAY: Partly cloudy with highs in 40’s and lows in 20’s. Breezy, gusts up to 40 mph.
WEDNESDAY: Mostly sunny then partly cloudy with highs in 40’s and lows in 20’s.
THURSDAY: Partly cloudy then mostly cloudy with highs in 40’s and lows in 30’s.
FRIDAY: Partly cloudy with highs in 40’s and lows in 30’s.
