Big changes are on the way as a cold and snowy storm will hit Montana later this week. Travelers will need to pay attention to the snow accumulation over the mountain passes, and gardeners will need to protect sensitive plants from sub-freezing temperatures. Tuesday will be another warm and sunny day with highs in the 60s and 70s. This will be the last nice day before things start going downhill on Wednesday. Clouds will increase across the state through Wednesday, with a cold front kicking off scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms later in the afternoon and evening. Highs will still be in the 60s and 70s. Colder air will spill into the state Wednesday night and Thursday. Highs will fall to well below normal levels, only reaching the 40s and 50s. These temperatures will support a mix of rain and snow in the lower elevations through Thursday afternoon. The mountains will have snow through most of the day. Thursday evening as temperatures drop, so will the snow levels down to the valley floors and plains. Areas of light snow will continue in the lower elevations through Thursday night into Friday morning. Moderate to occasionally heavy snow will fall in the mountains and along the Rocky Mountain Front. Most areas will wake up to some snow falling and/or on the ground Friday morning. Temperatures will rise into the 40s for highs in the lower elevations on Friday, which will allow for a mix of rain and snow. Areas of snow will continue in the mountains throughout the day. A coating up to a couple inches is possible in the lower elevations while some of the mountains may have more than a foot. Overnight temperatures will drop into the 20s, especially on Friday night. If you already planted your garden, you may want to cover it up with a cotton sheet both Thursday and Friday nights. Saturday will have mixed rain and snow showers with partly cloudy skies. Highs will be slightly warmer in the 50s for the lower elevations, but still in the 30s and 40s in the higher terrain. Sunday will be mostly cloudy with scattered rain showers. Highs will be in the 50s and 60s. Warmer temperatures in the 60s and low 70s will return for Monday.
Have a great day.
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
