A HIGH WIND WARNING will go into effect for most of Montana from Sunday into Monday.
A WINTER STORM WATCH has been issued for the mountains of western Montana from Sunday through Monday.
Enjoy the weekend because a strong cold front will bring snow squalls, violent wind and tumbling temperatures across the state on Monday. The wind is already strong but it will increase through the weekend. Temperatures will be mild but it might be hard to enjoy with the near relentless wind. The peak of this wind will come Sunday night and Monday as a strong low pressure moves through the state with violent gusts capable of doing damage, potentially blinding snow and arctic air moving in. The final weekend of February will be start off mild and windy. There will be snow over the western mountains on Saturday and a little snow could move across the Hi-Line later Saturday. Highs will range from the 30s northeast, to the 40s and 50s elsewhere. Sunday will be mostly cloudy, windy and mild with highs in the 40s and 50s. A strong cold front will slam across the state on Monday with lots of wind and areas of snow. The snow could come down heavily at times with snow squalls a possibility. The wind could be violent and damaging. Travel could be extremely difficult. Highs will be in the 30s and 40s but many areas will drop below 0 on Monday night as an arctic high pressure pushes in. A few inches of snow could accumulate by Tuesday morning, with some of the mountains picking up over a foot. Tuesday will have areas of light snow with highs in the 0s and 10s. The arctic air will not stay for long as warmer temperatures back in the 30s to 40 will return on Wednesday.
Have a great weekend.
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist