WEATHER DISCUSSION: The weekend began on a warm and dry note with temperatures back into the 60’s for many places in the region. Saturday morning and early afternoon had mostly clear skies across the area as high pressure remained, though a change in weather pattern is on the way, especially as clouds start to build back in Saturday night.
An upper level low will push into the area overnight tonight and through the day on Sunday, which will bring a further increase in cloud cover and some rain to mostly Southwestern Montana for the day on Sunday. This first round of precipitation will generally be on the light side with some higher amounts possible along the MT/ID border. Precipitation looks to increase in coverage and intensity Sunday night. Widespread moderate to heavy rain can be expected across a decent portion of North Central and Southwestern Montana.
The weather system will continue to strengthen heading into the work week. For Monday, this will result in cloudy, cool, and breezy conditions across the plains. Rain will push into North Central Montana Monday night and will be widespread and heavy Tuesday and Wednesday. While heavy rain and associated ponding/low lying flooding will be the most widespread concern through the next week, we will also be dealing with heavy, wet snow across the mountains, particularly the Big and Little Belts and the Snowy Mountains. The deepening low pressure system at the surface will help generate some strong and sustained winds across the plains with multiple chances of seeing 50 mph gusts, mostly along the Rocky Mountain Front and east of a Great Falls to Havre line. This wind, combined with the rain and snow, could amplify impacts, especially where saturated soils make trees more likely to be uprooted.
This system will begin to wind down with the possibility of high pressure building back in. Expect warmer and drier weather for the end of the week.
SATURDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy with lows in 30’s/40’s and gusts up to 20 mph.
SUNDAY: Chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy with highs in upper 50’s to 70’s and lows in 30’s/40’s. Gusts up to 40 mph.
MONDAY: Rain likely and mostly cloudy. Highs in 50’s and lows in 30’s/40’s. Gusts up to 50 mph.
TUESDAY: Rain likely and mostly cloudy. Highs in 50’s and lows in 30’s. Gusts up to 50 mph.
WEDNESDAY: Rain likely and mostly cloudy. Highs in 40’s and lows in 30’s. Breezy.
THURSDAY: Chance of rain and mostly cloudy. Highs in 50’s and lows in 30’s.
FRIDAY: Slight chance of rain and mostly sunny with highs in 60’s and lows in 30’s/40’s.
