MISSOULA — Expect breezy, warm, and dry conditions to stick around through the weekend.
Today (Friday) will be the hottest day, with temperatures climbing into the upper 80s and low 90s across western Montana, and even hitting the low 100s in the valleys of north-central Idaho.
This afternoon and evening, a few isolated thunderstorms could pop up over Lemhi County and parts of southwest Montana. Otherwise, it’ll be mostly dry, with winds gusting up to 25 mph.
Saturday brings slightly cooler temps—possibly even a bit below normal—but it'll stay dry and breezy. With low humidity and gusty winds, near-critical fire weather conditions are likely, especially in southwest Montana and parts of Idaho. There's about a 50–70% chance of gusts over 25 mph in these areas.
Early next week, a cooler, wetter, and breezy weather system is expected to move in—there’s about a 75% chance it’ll bring rain and cooler temps. Showers and thunderstorms could begin as early as Monday, especially in the afternoon.
By Tuesday, widespread light rain and a noticeable drop in temperatures are likely, particularly in northwest Montana, where there’s a 70–80% chance of receiving at least a tenth of an inch of rain.
At the end of next week, it looks like we’ll be heading back into a hot pattern, with highs returning to the 90s and low 100s.
