Happy New Year! Brrrr, what a cold start to 2019. Many towns had lows drop well below zero but warmer changes are already beginning. A chinook wind will push wind gusts to near 50mph and temperatures into the 40s and even some 50s the next few days. However, cold air will get trapped in the valley locations of western Montana including the Helena Valley. This will keep highs colder the next several days, however there will not be much wind. Until temperatures warm up above the freezing point, blowing and drifting snow will continue over north central Montana. Besides the wind for the Montana prairies, the rest of the short work week will be quiet. The storm track will remain to the north of Montana until Sunday when some light snow showers could move through the state. Early next week, another mild Pacific storm will favor areas west of the Continental Divide. This winter certainly is nothing like the last few winters across Montana.
Have a great day.
Curtis Grevenitz
