Hopefully you were able to spend some time outside today enjoying the nice weather as big changes are coming!
Here is the detailed forecast:
Tonight, it is going to be partly cloudy and mild as lows are going to be in the 40s and low 50s. A stray shower is possible as we approach sunrise, but most locations will remain dry.
There will be scattered showers and thunderstorms around tomorrow afternoon/evening and tomorrow night as a cold front works its way through our area. Some of the thunderstorms that develop tomorrow, especially in north-central Montana, will be severe with damaging winds (gusts of 60-80 mph) and possibly large hail (1+” in diameter). Definitely keep an eye to the sky if you are going to be outdoors at all later on tomorrow.
Severe or not, all thunderstorms that develop tomorrow will be capable of producing gusty to strong winds, frequent lightning, brief heavy rainfall, and small to medium-sized hail. New fire starts from lightning strikes are also possible tomorrow. It is also going to be partly to mostly cloudy tomorrow.
As colder air rushes in, snow levels will drop, allowing some snow to fall in the Rockies tomorrow evening through Thursday morning. Some of the highest peaks in Glacier will receive over 6” of snow. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY is in effect for the West Glacier area from 12am-3pm Thursday as 2-5+” of snow is possible above 5000 feet.
On Thursday, it is going to be partly to mostly sunny. There will be some rain along the Hi-Line east of I-15 during the morning, but this rain will taper off as we go through the morning, with mostly dry conditions expected during the afternoon and evening.
There is going to be a wide range of temperatures tomorrow as highs are going to range from the low to mid 70s near the Rockies to the upper 80s and low 90s in northeastern Montana. A few locations may tie or set a new record high temperature tomorrow. Much cooler temperatures are then expected on Thursday as highs are going to be back in the 60s and upper 50s.
It will be gusty tomorrow in eastern portions of north-central Montana as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 30 mph, and gusts up to 50 mph are possible. This wind combined with low relative humidity, dry fuels, hot temperatures, and some PM thunderstorms, will create high fire danger. A RED FLAG WARNING is in effect for northeastern Montana and portions of the Hi-Line in north-central Montana as well as portions of southwestern Montana from 12pm-9pm tomorrow. Please do your part to not start any new fires.
Elsewhere, gusty to strong winds will develop during the afternoon and evening as a cold front begins to pass through our area. It is then going to be very windy tomorrow night and Thursday. Sustained wind speeds are going to be between 20 and 40 mph, and wind gusts are going to be between 50 and 75 mph. This wind will be coming out of the west/southwest and will make travel difficult for high-profile vehicles. This wind may also cause some wind damage. A HIGH WIND WATCH is in effect for a lot of central and northeastern Montana from Wednesday afternoon/evening/night through Thursday evening/night.
The gusty to strong winds will continue on Friday and Saturday as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 15 and 35 mph, and wind gusts over 50 mph are possible. Outside of the wind, the weather will be pretty nice on these two days. On Friday, it is going to be mostly sunny and mostly dry, while on Saturday, it is going to be partly cloudy with just a few showers around, generally in the mountains. The temperatures will also cool down some between these two days as highs are going to be in the 60s on Friday and the mid to upper 50s and low to mid 60s on Saturday.
Another storm system will bring scattered rain and snow showers to the state on Sunday, and yes, it will be cold enough that some of the lower elevations may see some snow from this storm. It is also going to be partly to mostly cloudy and chilly on Sunday as highs are going to be in the mid to upper 40s and low to mid 50s. The wind will be weaker on Sunday, but it will still be breezy as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 20 mph.
Temperatures will warm back up some early next week as highs are going to be in the mid to upper 50s and low to mid 60s on Monday and the 60s on Tuesday. There is also just going to be a little breeze around on these two days as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 5 and 20 mph. Monday will be partly cloudy and mostly dry, while Tuesday will be partly cloudy with a few showers and thunderstorms around.
