MISSOULA — Weak high pressure will be the dominant weather feature for the next few days across the region, but this high pressure isn't the same as what we experienced last week. That was an upper-level ridge and now, we're sitting in a "trough-y" setup where inversions and those low stratus decks don't develop.
Instead, we'll see lots of sunshine, dry time and highs only slightly above normal (not significantly). With that said, Thursday will feature patchy morning fog and mostly sunny skies with highs in the upper 30s to mid 40s... Friday will be partly cloudy with highs in the low to mid 40s.
Our next best bet for mainly mountain snow and valley rain looks to arrive this weekend as a larger system moves into the western U.S.. How much moisture we pick up will largely depend on the track it takes into the Rockies. Further north would be best for us to receive some decent moisture. The precipitation type will also depend on how much colder air will be wrapped into the system.
Bottom line: stay tuned, but plan on at least mountain snow (maybe 2"-5" at pass level) and valley rain/snow mixing at times.
The first half of next week should remain active with near normal highs.
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