A LAKE WIND ADVISORY has been issued for Fort Peck Lake through 9 PM Today.
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Most of our snow accumulation across the state may be over, but the winter-like temperatures will stick around until the weekend when we will return to around seasonal average.
We did not see much snow in the Helena Valley yesterday, just a light coating on rooftops and cars to start out the morning. Elevations around 5000' outside of town saw a couple of inches. This was mostly a mountain event, with some of the southern ranges receiving well over a foot.
Temperatures in your freezers were warmer than the temperatures outside this morning. We had wind chills down in the single digits and places in the plains like Great Falls. We were also once again colder than we were the previous morning.
Today, light snow showers will continue in in locations north and east of Fort Peck Lake as the low continues its trek eastward. Instability snow showers will develop for the higher terrain of western Montana this afternoon. Temperatures will still be very cold, however I did raise the daytime highs just slightly due to having more sunshine than expected today. Most of the state will still be in the 30s and 40s.
As the center of exits the region tomorrow, some light snow showers will develop along the Hi-Line and move south throughout the morning and early afternoon. Showers could reach as far south as Lewistown before losing energy entirely. The plains will be cloudy tomorrow, but the mountains will see some sunshine. Breezy conditions out int the eastern plains once again. High temperatures are still very cold in the mid 30s to mid 40s.
High pressure builds into the region on Saturday giving mostly sunny skies and warming temperatures into the 50s for most of the state. The wind will also be calm for the first time this week out east.
On Sunday, a fast moving low approaches from the pacific-northwest. A cold front will trail and generate isolated to scattered showers across the western half of the state. Temperatures will not drop off too much post-frontal passage. 60s are in store to close out the weekend.
A bit of a northwest flow behind the low keeps us from warming on Monday. but we will not cool off too drastically either. Most cities will either stay the same temperature as the day before, or drop up to only five degrees.
By midweek, most locations will be back up close to 70° once again. There is a chance of thunderstorms on Wednesday.
Looking further, models are hinting at a wet last weekend of April.
Helena Temperature Records Today:
High: 80° (1936)
Low: 9° (1951)
AVG: 57/33
Great Falls Temperature Records Today:
High: 86° (1936)
Low: 6° (1951)
AVG: 55/30
Have a great Thursday!
Joey Biancone
Meteorologist
Facebook: Meteorologist Joey Biancone
Instagram: joeybianconewx
