MISSOULA — Hopefully you were able to get out and enjoy the sunshine and much warmer-than-average temperatures this afternoon.
The big change we have been talking about moves into the forecast tomorrow morning.
Highs go from the upper 60s and low 70s today to the mid 50s and even mid 40s by the end of the week through the weekend.
We track a cold front moving in from the west.
This cold front enters our area Thursday morning and will bring scattered light showers to our forecast Thursday and Friday.
Snow stays above 6,000 feet through Friday afternoon since warmer air from the west will follow behind (compared to the cold air we sometimes see from a Canadian cold front from the north).
Temperatures will still take a 10-15 degree drop from average (which is around 58 degrees) on Friday afternoon.
Behind the cold front, wind will pick up through all of Western Montana.
Sustained winds will be anywhere from 20-30 MPH, but some areas will see gusts up to 45 MPH.
Wind will calm as we head into Saturday morning.
Temperatures will take another drop Saturday afternoon as a large trough starts to dip down into our area.
This is what will allow much cooler air from the north to drop into our area.
Precipitation will continue to fall, but we could see snow levels drop to valley levels (around 3,000 ft.) Saturday night into Sunday morning.
Snow in lower elevations transitions back to rain by Monday, but expect rain to remain in our forecast through the middle of next week.
