It's almost Halloween and it's almost time for the next storm to move in. Halloween in Montana is usually a turning point in the season with regard to the weather. It's usually right around this time of year the first snow or the first cold airmass moves in, and that looks like that will come to fruition. Changes are headed to Montana in the form of colder air and significant snow in the mountains, with a chance at some of the first snowflakes of the year in the lower elevations. It's been a warm October and only just recently has it felt more like the time of year. Halloween will be a mixed bag of weather for different parts of the state. Eastern Montana will have sunshine while the western part of the state will have increasing clouds. Highs will be in the 40s and 50s, cooling into the 40s around "trick or treat" times. A few snow showers or mixed rain/snow showers are possible later in the evening around Helena and possibly up to Great Falls. West of the Continental Divide will have more shower activity throughout the day. Friday is November 1st and the beginning of a cooler, more active weather trend. Scattered rain and snow showers will move through western and central Montana with highs in the 40s and 50s. Any snow accumulation will be confined to the western mountains, any other areas will see very light precipitation. Saturday will be mostly cloudy, breezy and cool with rain and snow showers moving through the state in the afternoon into the night. Highs will be in the 40s to around 50. A period of snow is possible through Saturday night into Sunday morning with most of the accumulation in the mountains where a few inches could fall. Don't forget that Saturday night we set the clocks back as Daylight Saving Time ends. Bummer. Sunday will be partly cloudy with a few snow showers possible, highs in the 40s. Monday will have increasing clouds and wind across the plains as the next storm system approaches. Tuesday is election day and there is a good chance for areas of accumulating snow to move through the state with highs in the 30s to around 40.
Have a happy Halloween,
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
