AN EXTREME COLD WARNING is in effect until 11am Tuesday for most of central and northern Montana for wind chills down to -40 to -50.
A COLD WEATHER ADVISORY is in effect through Tuesday morning for western and southern Montana for wind chills down to -35.
Monday night will be one of the coldest nights so far this winter as most of Montana will drop well below 0 with dangerously cold wind chills. An arctic high pressure will bring in brutal cold, and then a light breeze will make it even worse. Many areas east of the Continental Divide will drop to between -15 and -30, and wind chill values through the morning could be as cold as -50. If you have to be outside, make sure all exposed skin is covered. Check on your neighbors and your pets. Frostbite can occur in a matter of minutes in these conditions. Tuesday will be partly cloudy with a few isolated mountain snow showers. Highs will be in the 0s and 10s. A few light snow showers are possible Tuesday night into Wednesday morning with just a dusting of accumulation. High pressure will move across Montana on Wednesday with mostly sunny skies and cold highs in the 0s and 10s. Thursday will start out mostly sunny but clouds will increase late in the day. Highs will increase ever so slightly into the 10s to around 20. Friday is Valentine's Day and it looks cold and snowy. Another arctic cold front will move southward into Montana while Pacific moisture streams in from the west. The snow does not look heavy, but 1-3" should accumulate across much of the state. Highs will be back down in the -0s and 0s. Some light snow will continue into the evening. Presidents' Weekend is coming up and it starts out dry and cold. Saturday will be partly to mostly sunny with highs in the -0s and 0s. Sunday, clouds will increase with a little light snow possible late in the day. Highs will warm into the 10s and 20s. Presidents' Day on Monday will be cloudy with areas of light snow. Highs will hold in the 10s and 20s. By the middle to end of next week, it's possible temperatures not only climb above freezing for the first time this month, but might even rise above normal for a change. It's been a rough February so far.
Stay warm,
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
