MISSOULA — Just within the last few days, Western Montana has seen it all - from record warmth to winter storms.
As we head toward the weekend, weather conditions will be leaning towards winter instead of spring.
Gusty winds, more precipitation, and a cool-down are ahead. Here's what to expect:
Winds:
Over the next few hours, gusty winds will be at their highest when the Canadian cold front finally makes a move south. Gusts could reach a high range of 20-30 mph before tapering off Friday.
Precipitation:
The majority of the precipitation in the forecast will fall overnight and in the early mornings, with both rain/snow possible until temperatures cool down more. This means that going forward, morning road travelers need to be cautious about mountain pass drives and some valley roads.
For tomorrow morning, Northwest Montana is at the highest risk for a flash freeze. The cold front that has been holding over the Rocky Mountain Front will move further south tonight before moving backward tomorrow. Precipitation will follow that front for tonight and tomorrow, creating snowfall/rain showers for the Flathead/Mission Valleys and the West Glacier area. Around an inch of snow may be on the ground tomorrow morning there.
However, the best chances for moisture are between Saturday/Sunday when more precipitation heads this way from the Pacific. Snow totals depicted in the graphics are for now through Sunday at noon. Generally, variable road impacts will remain an issue for locations north of I-90 during the Friday - Sunday period.
Temperatures:
It is not until later on Saturday/Sunday that cold front could finally bring cold air to areas south of I-90. Northwest Montana will feel cooler air tonight though.
Sunday looks to be ranging between the low 30s and low 40s before a slight warm-up next week. Basically, we'll go from having 10-15 degrees above normal to 10-15 degrees below normal into the weekend.
Next week, it looks like things could warm back up to average levels (upper 40s) with more unsettled precipitation.
