Changes have started to arrive today as a storm system is beginning to impact the state. As we have gone through today, the cloud cover has increased, the wind has gotten stronger, and the temperatures have started to cool down. There have also been scattered rain showers and thunderstorms around this afternoon and evening.
Here is the detailed forecast:
There will continue to be scattered showers and thunderstorms around this evening. Tonight, widespread precipitation is likely as a cold front works its way through our area. This precipitation will initially be in the form of rain in the lower elevations, but this rain will start to mix in with and switchover to snow during the second half of the night. In the mountains, snow is likely throughout the night tonight. Some of the precipitation that falls this evening and tonight may be heavy at times.
Tomorrow, in north-central Montana, there are going to be some scattered areas of snow and rain around during the morning and a few scattered snow showers around during the afternoon and evening. It is also going to be mostly cloudy tomorrow. There will then be some scattered snow showers around tomorrow night. Around Helena, snow is likely tomorrow, especially during the morning, and tomorrow night.
On Friday, snow showers are likely in north-central Montana and there are going to be scattered snow showers around the Helena area. It is also going to be mostly cloudy to overcast on Friday.
The Golden Triangle looks to miss out on a lot of the precipitation again as <.25” is expected through Friday evening. In southern and eastern portions of north-central Montana, .25” to .75” of precipitation is expected, with a few areas receiving over 1”. Around the Helena area, .25” to 1+” of precipitation is expected.
Some of this precipitation will fall as snow. In north-central Montana, many locations will receive little to no snow accumulation through Friday evening, but up to 2” or 3” of snow is possible. In the lower elevations near the mountains in central Montana, up to 5” of snow is possible. In the Helena Valley, 2-6” of snow is expected through Friday evening, with the Lincoln area receiving 4-8” of snow. In the mountains, 5-18” of snow is expected, with the snow amounts increasing as you go up in elevation.
Roads will be slushy at times in some of the lower elevations and at and above mountain pass level the next couple of days, so use caution when driving and give yourself some extra time to get to where you need to go.
A WINTER STORM WARNING is in effect for Judith Basin County, the Highwoods and the Little Belts until 6pm Thursday.
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY is in effect for the northern Rocky Mountain Front until 6pm Thursday; for the southern Rocky Mountain Front, the Helena Valley, and the mountains around Helena until 12pm Friday; for the Canyon Ferry area from 6pm Thursday until 12pm Friday; for Cascade County from 12am until 12pm Thursday; for northern Valley County from 6am until 2pm Thursday; and for the Bear Paw mountains, Fergus County, and southern Blaine County from 12am until 6pm Thursday.
Widespread gusty to strong winds are also expected tonight and tomorrow in north-central Montana east of I-15. Sustained wind speeds are going to be between 15 and 35 mph, and wind gusts are going to be between 40 and 60 mph. This wind will cause there to be blowing snow and low visibility in some areas, so use extreme caution when driving. A HIGH WIND WARNING is in effect for most of north-central and northeastern Montana east of I-15 from tonight through Thursday evening.
Around Helena and around and west of I-15 in north-central Montana, it is going to be gusty early on tonight as gusts up to 50 mph are possible. It is then going to be breezy later on tonight and tomorrow as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 25 mph, and gusts up to 40 mph are possible. It is also going to be significantly colder tomorrow as highs are going to be back in the mid to upper 30s and low to mid 40s, and wind chills will be in the 20s and 30s.
Friday will be a blustery and cold day as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 30 mph (strongest along the Hi-Line/east of I-15) and highs are only going to be in the 30s. Friday will be a great day to just stay indoors.
Thanks to northwesterly flow aloft, it will stay chilly this weekend as highs are only going to be in the mid to upper 30s and low to mid 40s. There will also continue to be a breeze around in northeastern Montana on Saturday as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 20 mph. Elsewhere, there will just be a little breeze around this weekend as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 5 and 20 mph. It is also going to be mostly cloudy this weekend and there will be some scattered snow showers around on Saturday, mainly in the mountains, along the Hi-Line and in locations east of I-15 in north-central Montana, and there will be some isolated snow showers around on Sunday, generally in the mountains.
Warmer temperatures will return next week as highs are going to be back in the mid to upper 40s and low to mid 50s on Monday and the 50s on Tuesday. It is also going to be partly cloudy on these two days and there will be a few rain and snow showers around, generally in the mountains.
