WEATHER DISCUSSION: Today’s St. Patrick’s Day couldn’t be happier. With temperatures remaining above average in the 50’s and 60’s and mild conditions, Sunday couldn’t be beat. Thanks to upper-level ridging continuing to stay over the state, these high temperatures and dry conditions should continue through Tuesday afternoon.
High pressure streaming into the state from Canada will likely cause some windier conditions in North Central Montana, with up to 30 mph wind gusts. This will be helpful in keeping the temperatures higher until precipitation chances begin as early as Tuesday evening this week. A transitions into cooler temperatures are expected in the middle of this week and onward until the weekend. Most of the rain and snow accumulations should hang out mostly along the Continental Divide and in Eastern portions of the state. Lower elevation plains have chances of seeing precipitation as well, especially as we head into the weekend and chances grow.
Upper-level troughing enters towards the end of the week, helping to boost precipitation chances and cool temperatures down below average and back into the 20’s and teens.
SUNDAY NIGHT: Mostly clear with lows in the 30’s and 5 to 10 mph winds.
MONDAY: Sunny then mostly clear with highs in 60’s and lows in 30’s. 5 to 10 mph winds with gusts up to 30 mph.
TUESDAY: Mostly sunny then mostly cloudy with highs in 50’s/60’s and lows in 30’s. 5 to 10 mph winds with gusts up to 20 mph.
WEDNESDAY: Chance of rain and snow. Partly sunny then mostly cloudy with highs in 50’s/60’s and lows in 30’s. 5 to 10 mph winds with gusts up to 30 mph.
THURSDAY: Chance of snow and mostly cloudy with highs in 40’s/50’s and lows in 20’s/30’s.
FRIDAY: Snow likely and mostly cloudy. Highs in 30’s/40’s and lows in 20’s.
SATURDAY: Snow likely and mostly cloudy with highs in 20’s/30’s.
