A large trough of low pressure is moving in from the Pacific, and the Atlantic is facing major hurricane Florence. Florence currently has maximum sustained winds of 140mph and will likely strengthen before making landfall in North Carolina later on Thursday. Major evacuations and other preparations are underway for devastating wind, storm surge, beach erosion and torrential rain. Meanwhile on the West Coast, much needed moisture and cooler temperatures are tempering fire danger and smoke emission. This storm will produce rain and higher elevation snow for Washington, Idaho, Oregon, British Columbia, Alberta and eventually Montana. Showers and a few thunderstorms will move across Montana on Wednesday. I’m not too worried about lightning strikes causing new wildfire starts because these storms will be isolated, and the nature of the precipitation will be more showery than stormy. Also, cooler temperatures and higher humidity will keep the fire danger down. Thursday will be similar with mostly cloudy skies, scattered showers and thunderstorms. Friday will be cool and partly cloudy, but a bigger storm could move in Saturday night through Sunday. This storm will create more widespread rain and snow in the mountains above 5000′. The seasons are changing…
Have a great day.
Curtis Grevenitz
Hurricane Florence and a large Pacific storm are closing in.
