A HIGH WIND WATCH is in effect for the Rocky Mountain Front and adjacent plains from 8pm Wednesday until 8pm Thursday.
A HIGH WIND WATCH is in effect for the Cut Bank area from 2am until 8pm Thursday.
What a snowstorm we had over the weekend! Some of the mountain ranges in central Montana, including the Bears Paw mountains, the Highwoods, the Judiths, the Moccasins, the Little Belts, and the Snowies, all received between 2 and 4 FEET of snow. Lower elevations near these mountains, especially between Belt and Lewistown, also saw a lot of snow with this storm, with snow totals ranging from a half foot to two, even two and a half feet! Blowing and drifting snow was also an issue with this storm, with drifts over six feet high in some locations. Due to the heavy snow and drifting snow, Highway 87 was shut down for a period of time this weekend, and Lewistown Public Schools were closed today and will be closed again tomorrow (Tuesday, January 14, 2025).
We are going to have partly cloudy to mostly clear skies tonight (via decreasing clouds) with some snow showers in eastern Montana (including in Valley County and Phillips County) and mostly dry conditions elsewhere. It is also going to be breezy and chilly tonight as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 25 mph, and lows are going to be in the teens and low to mid 20s.
For tomorrow, Wednesday, and Thursday, we are going to have nice weather as an upper-level ridge is going to be in control of our weather. On these three days, we are going to have partly to mostly sunny skies, mainly dry conditions, and warming temperatures as highs are going to be in the 30s tomorrow; the mid to upper 30s and low to mid 40s on Wednesday; and the 40s and upper 30s on Thursday. Patchy fog is also possible over the next few days.
There is also going to be a breeze around tomorrow and Wednesday along the Divide and along the Rocky Mountain Front as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 25 mph. Elsewhere, it is going to be a bit breezy tomorrow and Wednesday as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 20 mph. Another round of gusty to strong winds is then expected on Thursday as wind gusts over 40 mph are possible east of the Rocky Mountain Front and wind gusts over 70 mph are possible along the Rocky Mountain Front and in the Cut Bank area.
There are then going to be areas of snow around Thursday night and Friday as a cold front passes through our area, and light snow accumulations of a coating to a few inches are possible in the lower elevations, with several inches of snow possible in the mountains. We are also going to have mostly cloudy to overcast skies on Friday. It is also going to be colder and a bit breezy on Friday as highs are going to be in the upper teens and low to mid 20s and sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 20 mph.
The coldest temperatures since last winter are then expected this weekend as highs are going to be in the -0s, 0s, and low 10s, and lows are going to be in the -0s, -10s, and possibly even the -20s. Prepare now for this upcoming cold weather. There will also be a few areas of light snow around on Saturday, and there are going to be some isolated snow showers around on Sunday. We are also going to have partly to mostly cloudy skies on these two days.
On Monday (MLK Day), we are going to have mostly sunny skies and warmer temperatures as highs are going to be in the teens. It is also going to be breezy on Monday as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 20 mph.
