A RED FLAG WARNING is effect for most of central Montana through Saturday.
A HIGH WIND WARNING is in effect for most of Central Montana through Saturday.
A WINTER STORM WATCH has been issued for southern Montana into Tuesday.
The first weekend of February will have pretty much everything: wild wind up to 100mph, record highs, increased grassfire danger, crashing temperatures, flash freezes, snow and a return of winter. The combination of wind and near record warmth will increase the fire danger for the first part of the weekend. If a grassfire were to be ignited it would spread quickly in these conditions. Please don't do any debris burns. That wind will be powerful with widespread gusts up over 50-60mph, but the Rocky Mountain Front could have gusts up over 100mph! A cold front will bring a mix of rain and snow down the Continental Divide late on Saturday. The wind will accelerate right ahead of the front, but wind will ease up overnight into Sunday. Sunday will be much cooler with areas of snow in the central and southern part of Montana. The worst road conditions will be near and south of I-90. Snow in southern Montana will continue into Monday. Next week will be more typical of the first week of February with cooler temperatures and a chance of snow from mid to late week.
Have a safe weekend!
Curtis Grevenitz
