A WINTER STORM WATCH has been issued for the East Glacier area through Marias Pass.
A WINTER STORM WATCH has been issued for parts of northeast Montana.
A HIGH WIND WATCH has been issued for southwest Montana.
Communities are beginning to recover from devastating wildfires that consumed homes and property over the last few days. Record warmth, record wind and an ongoing drought created a perfect storm allowing wildfires on the first day of December. Fortunes are beginning to change as temperatures cool down and the wind dies down. Much of Montana will look and feel vastly different over the next few days as real December weather is about to hit. The wind will die off on Friday when a cold front will slide south through the state with cooler temperatures. Most of the state will have a light north to east wind. There will be a little light snow flurry activity across north-central Montana through the afternoon and evening. Snow will increase across northern Montana and especially the Hi-Line through Saturday morning. An area of low pressure will move across Montana producing some snow, especially up on the Hi-Line. Several inches could fall in some of the lower elevations, with the mountains seeing a good accumulation of several more inches. Some milder air and strong wind will work up through southwest Montana. As the storm drags in colder air, snow will move through the state on Saturday night. Sunday will have some light snow in the morning hours with partial clearing through the afternoon. Temperatures will be much, much colder. Another snow producing storm will move through on Monday. Monday will likely be a snowy day for most of the state with several inches accumulating. More storms are likely later in the week into the second weekend of December. This pattern change with colder temperatures and more moisture could not come soon enough after Wednesday's wildfires. It might be a good time to put snow tires on.
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
