A FLOOD WATCH remains in effect for the Missouri River in Great Falls because of an ice jam.
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY remains in effect for the Rocky Mountain Front into Wednesday morning.
A WIND CHILL ADVISORY continues for northern and central Montana until Thursday.
Snow and cold continue to hit parts of Montana hard. The coldest air remains farther north up along the Hi-Line and the Canadian border, with little to no arctic air spilling over into the west side of the Continental Divide. Snow showers have been coming down at a good rate, reducing visibility and coating the ground. This small disturbance will move out tonight allowing the skies to clear. With snow on the ground, arctic high pressure building in, and those clear skies, Wednesday morning will likely be the pinnacle of this latest arctic outbreak. Morning temperatures will range from 0 to -10 for much of the state, but the Hi-Line could be as cold as -35! Wind chill values up north overnight will exceed -40 to -45. Wednesday will be a cold but sunny day without much wind. Highs will still range from the -0s to -10s up north, closer to 0 in the central areas, and as warm as the 20s well west of the Continental Divide. Warmer air will start moving in on Thursday as some areas warm into the 10s and 20s, but the Hi-Line and eastern Montana will still be in the -0s and 0s. Thursday night into Friday morning another wave of snow will move through much of the state with a light accumulation of a coating up to 2" in the lower elevations. The mountains could see as much as 5". Friday's highs will warm into the 20s and 30s in central and southern Montana, but the Hi-Line will likely still be locked in the cold. Temperatures will continue to modify this weekend as the stubborn arctic air slowly retreats. Highs should be in the 20s and 30s in central and southern Montana, but the northernmost areas will likely still be closer to 0. Quiet weather will prevail into next week.
Stay warm!
Curtis Grevenitz
