Happy Friday! The wind will continue throughout the day, with sustained speeds generally between 15 and 35 mph. Gusts up to 50 mph are possible. We'll have a mixture of sunshine and clouds, along with a few isolated rain and snow showers. In the mountains along the Continental Divide, steadier snowfall is anticipated throughout the day. Daytime highs will be in the upper 40s and 50s.
A stronger system will arrive later tonight into Saturday, moving right across the northern tier of Montana. This will bring the heaviest snow totals to the mountains along the Divide, especially in Glacier National Park. Several inches of snow are likely over Marias Pass, so winter driving conditions should be expected on Highway 2.
A cold front will bring a burst of rain and snow Saturday morning into the afternoon, along with very gusty winds. In the lower elevations, up to 3 inches of snow is possible in areas that see snowfall (especially near the mountains), though many locations will receive little to no accumulation. Along the Divide and Rocky Mountain Front, 4-12+ inches of snow is possible, with the highest peaks potentially receiving up to 2 feet. In the mountains of central Montana, 2-10+ inches of snow is likely. This snow will make travel difficult at times at and above mountain pass levels tomorrow night and Saturday, so please use caution when traveling.
Seasonable temperatures are expected throughout the weekend, with highs in the 40s and low to mid 50s in most areas. The cold front will also bring very gusty winds on Saturday morning and afternoon, with widespread gusts of 40 to 50+ mph.
Sunday will be mostly dry, aside from a few rain or snow showers in the higher elevations around Helena. A few rain showers are possible across the area on Monday, generally in the mountains and areas east of I-15.
Gusty winds are also expected on Sunday, with sustained speeds between 10 and 30 mph and gusts over 40 mph possible. It will be windy again on Monday, with sustained speeds between 15 and 35 mph and gusts over 50 mph possible. Temperatures will warm slightly over these two days, with highs in the mid to upper 40s and low to mid-50s on Sunday, and in the mid to upper 50s and low to mid-60s on Monday.
Then, gorgeous spring weather is ahead for Tuesday and Wednesday, thanks to a strong ridge of high pressure building in from the west. Temperatures warm into the 60s, and possibly even the low 70s, across the Treasure State, with record-challenging warmth possible by the middle of next week!
