A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY is in effect for parts of central, northern and eastern Montana into Thursday.
March is a busy time of year with regard to the weather as it's always changing. There are a few other changes that always occur this time of year, specifically Daylight Saving Time going into effect. That's coming up this Saturday night when clocks turn forward one hour. This is also a good time of year to change out the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. The weather will also be stormy over the next few days into the weekend. Waves of low pressure will bring more snow and even a chance at thundersnow. The first wave of snow will fall through Wednesday night and Thursday. A coating up to a couple inches will fall for most of the state but eastern and southeast Montana will have heavier snow into Thursday and accumulation could top 6" there. Central and western Montana will become partly cloudy for Thursday with highs in the 20s and 30s. Friday a warmer storm will move into the state with highs in the 40s for southwestern and southern areas. Northern and eastern Montana will still be cold in the 20s and 30s. Snow will fly across much of the state, steadiest across the Hi-Line and northern Montana. With just enough warm air moving into southwest Montana, a few raindrops may fall with some of the snowflakes. The warm sector will also provide enough lift and energy for the possibility of thundersnow as a cold front crosses Friday evening. Locations like Helena, Butte and Bozeman will have the best chance at a rumble of thunder with heavy snow as the front passes. The wind will pick up as well. Saturday will be a partly to mostly cloudy day with scattered snow showers, windy conditions, and highs in the 20s and 30s. It's the shortest weekend of the year as we "spring forward" Saturday night. Sunday will be mostly sunny but chilly with highs in the 20s and 30s. Early next week temperatures will likely warm through the 40s and into the 50s! Tuesday could be the warmest day of the year so far for many towns in Montana.
Have a great day.
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
