A WIND CHILL ADVISORY remains in effect for northern Montana because of dangerous wind chills and frostbite potential.
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY has been issued for southwest and southcentral Montana for light snow.
A FLOOD WARNING remains in effect for the city of Choteau because of an ice jam.
The weekend can't come soon enough, and with that comes a warmup. First there is Friday's hazards that we must get through. An arctic boundary that slowly, at a glacial pace, is retreating. Some locations on Thursday warmed up into the low 40s for highs, while just a few miles away temperatures remained below 0. It will be another several days before the entire state rids itself of the arctic air. Up north on Friday in the arctic airmass, wind chill will remain an issue dropping to near -30 at times. In the southwestern part of the state in the warmer air, light snow will fall through the morning hours. Accumulation will range from just a coating up to 1" in some of the valleys, with as much as 3-4" in the mountains. It will be just enough snow to create slick spots on the roads. Some of this light snow will fall as far north as the frozen Hi-Line as well. Highs will range from the -0s to the 0s up north, but in the 20s and 30s in the southern half of the state. Saturday the arctic air will remain entrenched over the northern half of Montana while the southern half will enjoy milder temperatures again in the 20s and 30s. Skies will be mostly sunny farther east, with partly to mostly cloudy skies in the western half of the state. Some light snow will fall in the higher terrain of northwest Montana, and some light snow may spread across parts of the Hi-Line late in the day. Sunday the warmer air will start making progress farther north and east as the arctic air continues its slow retreat. The Hi-Line will remain cold, but more of central Montana will have milder temperatures under partly cloudy skies. Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday is when the warmer air will win out, and with mostly sunny skies the day will be a beautiful January day. A minor system could bring light snow showers late on Tuesday into Wednesday. Besides that, much of Montana will have quiet weather heading through the coldest time of year.
Have a great day.
Curtis Grevenitz
