We’re lucky enough to start off St. Patrick’s Day with some sunshine, but it is a chilly start to the day! There are still some clouds, mainly to the south of Helena. Another disturbance will arrive tonight, bringing another round of light snow to the mountains and continued breezy conditions across the plains. Daytime highs will generally reach the 40s and low 50s.
Tuesday will be a touch cooler, with most areas expected to reach the upper 30s and low to mid 40s. There will be widely scattered rain and snow showers throughout the day, but more of the day will be dry than not. A chilly northwest breeze will be sustained at 10-20 mph across most of the area, with lighter winds in the Helena area.
High pressure will briefly influence our weather toward the middle of the week. We can expect abundant sunshine and temperatures warming into the 40s and low 50s. However, this pleasant weather will not last long, as another system is expected to arrive late Wednesday night into Thursday, bringing additional mountain snow and stronger winds for the plains.
The unsettled weather will persist through the end of the week and into the weekend as numerous disturbances traverse the area. While there may be a stray shower or two in the lower elevations, the trend of mainly mountain precipitation will continue. Daytime highs will generally remain close to seasonal averages, with temperatures in the 40s and low to mid-50s.
Next week, a stronger high pressure ridge is forecast to build over the West. This could bring even warmer temperatures, potentially reaching the 60s for many of us.
