Skies will remain partly to mostly cloudy with flurries/light snow at times - mainly for southwest Montana. Highs will struggle to make it above 0° the next few days for most of the viewing area... this will likely make it into the 'top 10' for longest stretches below 0° in recorded history for Great Falls. As of now, we haven't been above 0° since 8:31pm on Feb. 5th!
Overnight lows? Well, it's best you know that it'll just be downright frigid, but here are the specifics for Great Falls and Helena respectively:
Thursday AM: -26° / -18°
- Friday AM: -30° / -20°
- Saturday AM: -23° / -19°
It's likely we'll continue to see records tied or broken for a few locations.
With that said, any breath of wind will create dangerously low wind chill values moving ahead.
A Wind Chill Advisory is in effect for Jefferson, Broadwater& Meagher Counties until noon Friday for wind chills as low as -35°
A Wind Chill Warning is in place for the northern Rocky Mountain Front, Eastern Glacier, Hill, Toole, Liberty, Cascade, Chouteau, Eastern Pondera, the southern Rocky Mountain Front, Eastern Teton, Judith Basin, Fergus, Central and Southern Lewis and Clark & Blaine Counties until noon Friday for wind chills in the -50° to -55° range.
Warnings are also out for Central and Southeast Phillips, Central and Southern Valley, Daniels, Sheridan, Western Roosevelt, Northern Phillips, Northern Valley, Southern Wheatland, Petroleum, Judith Gap, Garfield, McCone, Richland, Dawson, Prairie, Wibaux, Southwest Phillips & Eastern Roosevelt Counties until 11am Friday for wind chills as low as -50°.
Wind chills could cause frostbite to exposed skin within minutes.
I wouldn't be surprised if they're extended & possibly expanded, although they're rightfully in place for many areas already.
Make sure to protect yourself from the cold & always travel with an emergency kit. Additionally, don’t forget about the pets and make sure that they have adequate access to shelter if they are outside!
A weak weather system will slide to the south of the area Thursday into early Friday bringing a round of snow to mainly Southwestern Montana. Accumulations look to be on the lighter side.
Those looking for warmer temperatures have to wait until the end of this week. Right now, highs should make it in the single digits above zero by Saturday &/or Sunday, but this cold air looks to have some serious staying power!
