MISSOULA — Thursday is shaping up to be a cool and quiet weather day with a mix of sun and clouds and highs in the low to middle 30s.
Snow is expected to return to the northern Rockies Thursday night into Friday morning for north-central Idaho and northwest Montana.
These showers will slide south during the day Friday moving into west-central and southwest Montana. However, as this is a slightly warmer system valleys may see a rain/snow mix while mountains continue to see snow.
A cold front will pass through western Montana Friday night into Saturday, as it does snow showers look to return to the valleys. The winds will also pick up as the front moves through. Gusts of 30-40 mph look possible in the valleys with 50 mph gusts in the mountains. Factor this in with snow and travel could be very difficult, especially over those mountain passes along the Montana/Idaho border.
Snow showers will start to decrease, however, a few could linger into Sunday with highs topping out in the low to upper 30s.
A much warmer but wet weather pattern looks to set up next week. High temperatures in the valleys will be able to warm into the upper 40s and even low 50s by Wednesday of next week. This will keep any precipitation in the valleys as rain or a rain/snow mix while mountains continue to pick up snow.
