I took the picture of the wildflowers 4 years ago today. These same flowers today are yet a week or two away from really blooming. With April being one of the coldest on record here in Montana, and much of May starting out 3-5 degrees below normal, plants and foliage are a little behind. Temperatures will continue to be cool with a few more nights over the next two weeks dropping below freezing. While you could plant vegetation that is naturally blooming in this weather, sensitive flowers and vegetables like tomatoes probably need a little more time and warmer weather. Showers are in the forecast this week, but still they will be on the light and scattered side. What we need to help the drought situation is steady precipitation over the course of several days totaling more than one inch. Eastern Montana will see a nice soaking like this, but most of the rest of the state will see scattered showers and higher elevations snow showers. Wednesday will be slightly warmer with scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs will be in the 50s and 60s. A stronger low pressure will move through central and eastern Montana on Thursday with steadier rain there, but the western half of the state will only see a few showers. Highs will be in the 50s and 60s on Thursday. Yet another storm with limited moisture will move through on Friday with mixed rain and snow showers in the lower elevations, and snow in the mountains. Highs will be back down in the 40s and 50s and the wind will be very gusty. This weekend will get warmer with highs in the 60s on Saturday and the 70s on Sundays. An isolated shower or thunderstorm is possible both afternoons. More scattered, light showers are possible on Monday too.
Have a great day.
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
