A WINTER STORM WARNING is in effect for much of central and north-central Montana through Wednesday evening.
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY is in effect for the Big Belt Mountains, the Castle Mountains, the Judith Gap area, and the Sweet Grass Hills into Wednesday afternoon.
The arctic air from the weekend has exited but the next storm is already beginning to spread snow and wind into parts of the state. January has been fairly snowy and cold, and there will be another couple storms between now and the weekend. This first storm will continue to spread snow showers across the state through Tuesday night into Wednesday. The central mountain ranges will once again see heavy snow piling up on an already record snowpack. The Big Snowy Mountains, Bear Paw Mountains, Highwood Mountains and Little Belt Mountains have had a lot of snow and could pick up another foot by Wednesday evening. The lower elevations will be mostly cloudy and breezy with snow showers on Wednesday. Highs will be in the 20s for most areas. This storm will move out by late Wednesday evening but the next storm will start spreading clouds across the state on Thursday. Skies will be mostly cloudy and it will be windy on the Continental Divide and across the plains. Highs will range in the 20s and 30s. A cold front will push through the state late Thursday night and Friday morning. Snow will accumulate a few inches in the lower elevations along this front. Highs will be in the 10s and 20s. Some areas of light snow will linger into Friday night. High pressure will move in for the final weekend of January with mostly sunny skies on Saturday. Sunday will be partly cloudy. Both days will have highs in the 10s and 20s. High pressure will dominate the weather across the West for the rest of January. Valley inversions will develop with chinook wind across the plains. The next storm might not come until the beginning of February, so enjoy the little break.
Have a great day,
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
