MISSOULA — Get ready for a taste of summer today through Saturday as it’s shaping up to be the warmest stretch we've seen so far this year!
Expect upper 70s and low 80s today, with mid 80s by tomorrow. That extra warmth will speed up snowmelt, so rivers and streams are expected to rise quite a bit. No flooding is forecasted, but some spots might get close to action stage.
Watch the forecast:
By Saturday afternoon, things start to get a little more active.
Scattered thunderstorms are possible, especially in Southwest Montana. A few of these storms could be on the stronger side, with gusty winds over 50 mph and even some hail possible. Winds will already be breezy — 25 mph to 35 mph — even without storms, so keep that in mind if you're out and about.
Sunday continues the unsettled pattern as a Pacific front pushes in. More thunderstorms are expected, and again, a couple could be strong or severe with hail and damaging winds. Gusty winds of 30 mph to 40 mph are likely ahead of the front. Generally, plan on your Mother's Day to be overcast and rainy at the least.
The timing of the front might slow a bit, which could mean some extra rain for parts of Idaho and continued warmth for Montana.
Looking ahead to Tuesday and Wednesday, we could see a repeat of last week’s setup, with heavy snow for the Yellowstone area. Snow levels might drop as low as 5,500 feet, potentially bringing wintry conditions to the higher elevations.
While most of the snow should stay east of southwest Montana, there's still a chance we could see a snowy surprise in some areas, plus widespread rain at lower elevations along and south of I-90.
Basically, we've got a little bit of everything in the forecast over the next few days.
Watch the 24/7 StormTracker Weather stream below:
