WEATHER DISCUSSION: Temperatures remain above average and mild in the 40’s and the 50’s for North Central Montana. Eastern portions of the state saw high temperatures today a bit cooler in the upper 30’s but this trend looks to finally falter next week. Low temperatures tonight will remain in the 20’s and 30’s with partly cloudy to mostly cloudy skies.
Snow showers will continue through the rest of the day with accumulations generally staying below 2 inches. Winter Weather Advisories will still be in effect tonight for the Highwood, Little Belt, and East Glacier regions until 5 am tomorrow with up to 8 inches of additional snow accumulation for these areas.
Breezy to windy conditions will be fairly widespread across the area this afternoon has begun to wind down. While gusts up to 30 mph are possible tonight, Sunday will likely see lighter winds around 5 to 10 mph for North Central MT.
Widespread precipitation will develop Sunday through Monday as an upper-level trough and low pressure system streams Eastward. There is high confidence in impactful snowfall across the region with over 8 inches expected along the higher elevations of the Rockies, the Snowies, Little Belts, Big Belts, Bridgers and the Madison and Gallatin ranges. Thus, Winter Storm Warnings will be in effect for these zones Sunday morning through Monday evening warning of difficult travel, reduced visibility, and slippery roads.
Otherwise, there is high confidence for at least 2 inches across a wide portion of central Montana. In particular, one of the biggest concerns will be travel-related with area roads becoming slippery and freezing over as the cold front moves across the region late Sunday night into Monday morning.
The worst of the snow will taper off Monday evening with lingering snow showers across central Montana through Tuesday morning. Mainly dry conditions are expected from Tuesday to next weekend with some chances of snow while colder temperatures settle back into the 20’s and 30’s.
SATURDAY NIGHT: Light mountain snow and mostly cloudy. Lows in 20’s/30’s with wind gusts up to 30 mph.
SUNDAY: Rain and snow, becoming all snow at night. Mountain snow. Mostly cloudy with highs in 30’s/40’s and lows in 20’s. 5 to 15 mph winds.
MONDAY: Snow likely and cloudy. Highs in 30’s and lows in 20’s. 10 to 20 mph winds.
TUESDAY (New Year’s Eve): Chance of snow mostly in the morning. Mostly cloudy with highs in 20’s/30’s and lows in teens. 5 to 10 mph winds.
WEDNESDAY (New Year’s Day): Chance of snow. Mostly cloudy with highs in 20’s/30’s and lows in teens. 5 to 10 mph winds.
THURSDAY: Slight chance of snow and mostly cloudy with highs in 20’s and lows in teens.
FRIDAY: Chance of snow and mostly cloudy, with highs in 30’s and lows in teens/20’s.
