Isolated showers/storms will taper off and the skies will clear out as we go through this evening. We are then going to have mainly clear skies and dry conditions tonight. It is also going to be warmer tonight than it has been the past few nights as lows are going to be in the 40s in most locations. The wind will also begin to pick up later on tonight along the Rocky Mountain Front.
For tomorrow, we are going to have increasing clouds (partly cloudy skies overall) as a disturbance passes through our area. A stray shower/storm is possible later in the day, but most locations will be dry. There is also going to be some haze around tomorrow, especially during the afternoon and evening.
Gusty winds are also expected tomorrow in Glacier/Pondera County and along the Rocky Mountain Front as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 30 mph, and gusts over 40 mph are possible. Elsewhere, it is going to be a bit breezy tomorrow as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 20 mph. It is also going to be a little warmer tomorrow than it was today as highs are going to be in the mid to upper 70s and low to mid 80s.
A disturbance will then send a cold front through our area as we head into Saturday. Saturday will be the cooler day of the weekend as highs are going to be in the mid to upper 60s and low 70s in north-central Montana, and the 70s around Helena. A few showers are possible in the mountains and in eastern portions of north-central Montana, but a majority of locations will continue to remain dry. We are also going to have partly to mostly sunny skies on Saturday.
Around Helena and around and west of I-15 in north-central Montana, it will be a bit breezy on Saturday as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 20 mph. In north-central Montana east of I-15, gusty winds are expected on Saturday as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 30 mph, and gusts over 40 mph are possible.
The wind behind the cold front will be coming out of the north/northwest, which will bring Canadian wildfire smoke into the state. As we go through Saturday, the haze/smoke will increase from north to south, especially during the second half of the day. This haze/smoke will then probably stick around through Monday before cleaner air works its way back into Montana as the upper-level flow switches to the west/southwest. At times, the air quality may be unhealthy for sensitive groups or unhealthy for everyone, especially Saturday night and Sunday. This smoke should mainly remain east of the Continental Divide.
An upper-level ridge will begin to build into the Pacific Northwest on Sunday, providing us with mainly sunny skies, dry conditions, and warmer temperatures as highs are going to be in the 70s and low 80s. Gusty winds (sustained wind speeds between 10 and 30 mph) will continue on Sunday in locations east of I-15, but there will be little to no wind around Helena and around/west of I-15 in north-central Montana.
Monday will be the hottest day of the next week as highs are going to be in the mid to upper 80s and low to mid 90s. We are also going to have lots of sunshine and dry conditions on Monday as an upper-level ridge is going to be in complete control of our weather.
It will remain very warm on Tuesday as highs are going to be in the 80s and low 90s, but we are also going to have a chance to see some scattered showers and thunderstorms later in the day, generally in central Montana and in the higher elevations, as some Pacific moisture begins to work its way into Montana. We are also going to have increasing clouds on Tuesday.
There are then going to be scattered showers and thunderstorms around on Wednesday and Thursday as a couple disturbances pass through our area. It is also going to be mostly cloudy on Wednesday and partly cloudy on Thursday. The temperatures are also going to cool down some over these two days as highs are going to be in the mid to upper 70s and low 80s on Wednesday and the low to mid 70s on Thursday.
