A Wind Chill Warning is in effect for the Hi-Line until 6am Thursday, and a Wind Chill Advisory is in effect for the rest of central Montana until 6am Thursday. Wind chills as low as 45 below zero are possible along the Hi-Line, while wind chills as low as 30 below zero are possible for the rest of central Montana. With wind chills this low, frostbite can occur on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.
A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect until 8am Thursday for the Rocky Mountain Front. Blowing and drifting snow is expected in this area due to strong winds. This blowing and drifting snow is going to reduce visibility and create slippery road conditions.
Tonight is going to start off frigid as the temperatures are initially going to be in the -20s, -10s, and -0s. The temperatures are going to get warmer as the night goes on though, with most locations expected to be above zero by sunrise tomorrow. The wind is also going to increase from west to east tonight, and it is going to become windy tonight along the Rocky Mountain Front and it is going to become breezy tonight for locations east of the Rocky Mountain Front in north-central Montana. This wind is also going to make it feel like it is below zero all night, so make sure you bundle up if you are going to be outside at all. We are also going to have increasing clouds tonight with a few scattered snow showers around after midnight.
For Thursday, we are going to have mostly cloudy skies with some scattered snow showers around throughout the day. In locations that see some of this snow, light snow accumulations are expected. It is also going to be warmer tomorrow than it has been over the past few days as highs are going to be in the single digits and teens above zero. There is also going to be a bit of a breeze around tomorrow, especially during the morning, as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 20 mph.
On Friday, we are going to have mostly to partly cloudy skies with a chance of snow showers, generally during the morning and generally in south-central Montana. It is also going to be frigid again on Friday as highs are going to be in the single digits above and below zero.
For New Year’s Eve night, make sure you bundle up and wear tons of layers if you are going to be heading to any outdoor festivities as the temperatures are going to be around or below zero as the clock strikes midnight. Luckily, dry conditions are expected for the entire night.
Much warmer temperatures are then expected for the first few days of 2022 as highs on Saturday are going to be in the teens and low to mid 20s, and highs on Sunday and Monday are going to be in the mid to upper 20s and low to mid 30s. It is also going to be breezy/windy in north-central Montana for the first two days of the new year as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 30 mph, and wind gusts over 40 mph are going to be possible at times. There is then going to be a bit of a breeze around on Monday as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 20 mph.
We are also going to have increasing clouds and dry conditions on New Year’s Day (Saturday); mostly cloudy skies with a slight chance of snow showers on Sunday; and partly cloudy to mostly sunny skies and dry conditions on Monday.
On Tuesday, we are going to have mostly cloudy skies with some isolated snow showers around as a storm system begins to approach our area. There are then going to be some scattered snow showers around on Wednesday as this storm system passes through our area. The temperatures are also going to cool down a lot over these two days as highs on Tuesday are going to be in the teens and 20s, and highs on Wednesday are going to be in the single digits above and below zero.
