Yes that’s snow in Montana’s Pintler, Pioneer, Highland, Beaverhead and Bitterroot Mountains from a radar image late Monday night. Low pressure produced high mountain snow and a significant rain for much of the state. Late June and early July have been wet, stormy and cool. This pattern is about to change with warmer and drier weather on the way. Typically at this time of year, a seasonal high pressure develops over the 4-Corner states. This is a monsoon high, a seasonal wind shift that usually creates hot and dry weather here in Montana. This summer, this high hasn’t really formed. The pattern suggests that this high won’t get really strong resulting in extreme, prolonged heat waves. Even though the weather will dry out and warm up, there still are thunderstorms in the forecast this weekend. Looking longer range into the end of the month, there will be continued chances of thunderstorms along with several cool downs. Temperatures will get hot, potentially warmer than 90 degrees but extended dangerous heat is not likely at least through July. Temperatures over the next several days into the weekend will be much warmer in the 80s and 90s. Thunderstorms will be scarce through the rest of the workweek, but watch out for big thunderstorms returning to much of the state this weekend.
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
