AN EXTREME COLD WARNING is in effect until 11am Thursday for the Canyon Ferry area through the valleys of southwest Montana for wind chills down to -40.
A COLD WEATHER ADVISORY is in effect through Thursday morning for most of Montana for wind chills down to -30.
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY continue for the East Glacier area and near Judith Gap for blowing snow through Thursday morning.
Montana is locked in the deep freeze without much warming taking place anytime soon, and more snow is headed our way. This has been a pretty tough stretch of winter weather with significant snow and well below normal temperatures. Much of Montana is running 15 to 25 degrees colder than normal for the month of February. Tonight will be another brutally cold night with wind chills well below 0. Many locations will have overnight temperatures down -15 to -30 yet again. However, places like Cut Bank and Great Falls will stay above 0 as a chinook wind will keep temperatures relatively warmer there. If you have to be outside, make sure all exposed skin is covered. Check on your neighbors and your pets. Frostbite can occur in a matter of minutes in these conditions. Thursday will start mostly sunny but clouds will increase through the afternoon. Some light snow is possible after dark around Helena, Great Falls and the Rocky Mountain Front. Highs will increase ever so slightly into the 0s and 10s. Friday is Valentine's Day and it looks cold and snowy. Another arctic cold front will move southward into Montana while Pacific moisture streams in from the west. The snow does not look heavy, but 1-3" should accumulate across much of the state. Highs will be back down in the -0s and 0s. Some light snow will continue into the evening. Presidents' Weekend is coming up and the cold and snow are locked in. Snow will continue through Friday night and taper off through Saturday morning. The rest of the day will be overcast to mostly cloudy with a few light snow showers here and there. Highs will be cold again in the 0s and 10s. Sunday, clouds will increase with a little light snow redeveloping through the afternoon. Highs will warm into the 10s and 20s. Presidents' Day on Monday will be cloudy with areas of light snow. Highs will hold in the 10s and 20s. Snow will accumulate several more inches through the holiday into Tuesday morning while staying cold.
Stay warm,
Curtis Grevenitz
