Valentine's Day begins with patchy light snow across central Montana. Be prepared for variable road conditions, including snow-covered roads and highways in parts of the area. A steadier, light snow is going to develop this afternoon and continue into the night. Temperatures will remain steady in the single digits, and a cold northerly breeze at 5-15 mph will create wind chills below zero.
By Saturday morning, a widespread accumulation of 1-4 inches of snow in the lower elevations is likely and the mountains may see upwards of 6 inches. Saturday's temperatures will remain quite cold, with daytime highs in the -0s on the Hi-Line east of Havre, single digits in north central Montana, and the teens to low 20s around the Helena area. Breezy conditions are likely in the mountains along the Divide and across central Montana, with sustained winds of 10-25 mph.
A more potent storm system brings the potential for significant snowfall to parts of central Montana. Snow will begin on Sunday and continue intermittently through Tuesday morning. Areas between I-90 and Highway 200, as well as along the Rocky Mountain Front, are forecast to receive the heaviest snowfall, while lighter accumulations are expected further north.
The frigid weather is hangs around for a few more days. High temperatures from Sunday through Tuesday will only reach -0s and 0s in north central Montana, and the 0s and 10s around Helena. It will begin to dry out on Tuesday as snow showers dissipate with the storm's departure.
A warming trend begins next Wednesday, with temperatures reaching -0s and 0s on the Hi-Line and the mid to upper 10s across central Montana. However, significantly warmer temperatures are expected on Thursday, with daytime highs in the mid to upper 10s on the Hi-Line, the upper 20s to lower 30s in central Montana, and the mid to upper 20s around the Helena area.
While there will be occasional snow showers next week, the active weather pattern is expected to diminish, leading to a drier pattern in the latter half of the month. Temperatures are also forecast to continue rising on Friday and into the weekend, with most areas reaching the 30s and 40s. This milder weather looks to continue through the end of the month.
