It was an epic snowstorm for parts of central Montana. The official reports coming out of Lewistown are 18-24 inches of snowfall. A trained spotter recorded 30 inches in the Bears Paw Mountains, while Showdown reported 22 inches throughout the storm.
As the system responsible for this winter weather begins to move away, a high pressure ridge is starting to build along the west coast. This will lead to a warming trend over the next several days, but it will be accompanied by stronger winds.
Temperatures are expected to reach the upper 30s and lower 40s by Wednesday and Thursday. Wind gusts will exceed 40 mph across the plains and reaching 60-80 mph along the Rocky Mountain Front.
A High Wind Watch is in effect for the Rocky Mountain Front from Wednesday evening through Thursday evening.
A cold front passes through the area on Thursday night, bringing with it accumulating snow and a significant drop in temperatures.
While this upcoming snow event does not look to have the same impact as the recent storm, areas affected may still see heavier snowfall, with widespread light snow expected in other regions.
Looking ahead to next weekend, the coldest air of the winter thus far is set to arrive in central Montana. Most areas can expect high temperatures in the 0s and 10s, while overnight lows could plunge into -0s and -10s.
Wind chills are expected to remain subzero throughout most of the weekend, though some improvements in temperatures may be on the horizon for the next week.
