WEATHER DISCUSSION: Lower elevation precipitation finally makes its way back to North Central Montana. It was a cloudy day with high temperatures in the upper 30’s and 40’s. This morning, there was lingering light snow along the Rocky Mountain Front, with snow elsewhere largely diminishing. Expect a cloudy night tonight with low temperatures in the upper teens and 20’s with more snow accumulation overnight tonight through Monday.
A Pacific trough shifting eastward and onshore across the Pacific Northwest brought another round of Pacific moisture into the state today. The initial push of precipitation started in SW MT and has continued moving NE, becoming more widespread. Many areas in North Central saw this precipitation as rain late this morning and through most of the day. That rain will continue to turn into snow as the region cools this evening.
Impactful snow looks to fall across the mountains through much of the next 36 hours or so with various start and end times for each specific mountain range. Periods of most impactful snow across lower elevations will occur late this evening through Monday morning across much of the plains.
Winter Weather Advisories (Purple) will be in effect until 5 pm Monday across most of the state. In North Central Montana, expect 2 to 6 inches of snow accumulation tonight through tomorrow in lower elevations under the advisory. Winter Storm Warnings (Pink) will be in effect tonight through Monday at 5 pm as well for higher elevations. In the Rocky Mountain front, Highwood, Little and Big Belts, Judith, Snowy, Bridger, and Castle ranges, expect around 5 to 12 inches of snow accumulation through this period. All advisories warn of difficult driving conditions, low visibility, and slippery conditions.
This system begins to depart Monday afternoon, though expect light snow in the forecast for most areas through Tuesday. A northwesterly flow aloft persists through the week, bringing at least low-end chances for snow most days though the weekend, in addition to cooler than average temperatures across the plains. Temperatures dip back in the teens, 20’s, and 30’s for most of North Central Montana.
SUNDAY NIGHT: Rain and snow, becoming all snow at night. Mountain snow impacts. Cloudy with lows in teens and 20’s. 5 to 15 mph winds, gusts up to 30 mph.
MONDAY: Snow likely and cloudy. Highs in 20’s/30’s and lows in teens/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 and mostly cloudy with highs in teens/20’s and lows in single digits/teens. 5 to 10 mph winds.
THURSDAY: Chance of snow and mostly cloudy with highs in teens/20’s and lows in single digits/teens.
FRIDAY: Chance of snow and mostly cloudy, with highs in teens/20’s and lows in teens.
SATURDAY: Chance of snow and mostly cloudy, with highs in teens/20’s and lows in single digits/teens.
