A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY has been issued for the Elkhorn and Boulder Mountains from 6 AM tomorrow through 6 PM Saturday.
A WINTER STORM WARNING has been issued for the Centennial, Madison, and Gallatin Mountains from 6 AM tomorrow through 6 PM Saturday.
A WINTER STORM WARNING has been issued for the Crazy, Absaroka, and Beartooth Mountains from midnight tonight through 6 AM Sunday.
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY has been issued for the Ruby and Beaverhead Mountains from 6 AM tomorrow through 6 PM Saturday.
A RED FLAG WARNING has been issued for northeast Montana from 12 PM tomorrow through 8 PM tomorrow.
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After a nice day today, cooler and wetter weather returns for the start of the weekend. Heavy rainfall is possible Saturday as Helena could get up to half an inch.
Tonight, thunderstorms will be present in portions of central and southern Montana. Snow will start for the Beartooth and Absaroka mountain ranges tonight as well. Isolated peaks in those ranges could see up to 20" of snow through Sunday morning.
For those of us in lower elevations, this weekend will be a mostly rain event. Some heavy downpours at times. Helena is still in the zone to receive 0.25" to 0.5" of rainfall through Saturday night. We will be overcast and rainy starting tomorrow and lasting through Saturday night. Temperatures will be in the 50s for most of the southwest and north-central plains.
Sunday the sun returns with partly-mostly cloudy skies across the state. Convective showers will develop in the higher terrain in the afternoon hours for an additional light rainfall accumulation. Temperatures will warm slightly into the upper 50s to low 60s. Additionally, a strong west wind will develop in western Montana and last through Tuesday.
Sustained wind speeds up to 30 MPH are possible in Helena and Great Falls on Monday. Higher speeds will likely occur near the Rocky Mountain Front. A strong surface pressure gradient and very high winds speeds aloft mixing to the surface are to blame. I expect a similar event to what we saw this past Sunday. High Wind Alerts may be issued in the next few days.
We will stay in a mostly unsettled pattern to begin next week. a series of small disturbances come through the state Monday. This will prevent us from warning back up into the 70s until at least Wednesday. Thunderstorms will be around on Wednesday and Thursday of next week.
Helena Temperature Records Today:
High: 86° (1910)
Low: 19° (1880)
AVG: 59/34
Great Falls Temperature Records Today:
High: 85° (1910)
Low: 18° (1924)
AVG: 57/32
Prepare for the drenching this weekend!
Joey Biancone
Meteorologist
Facebook: Meteorologist Joey Biancone
Instagram: joeybianconewx
Email: joey.biancone@ktvh.com
