While Montana has been pleasantly sunny and mild, that's not the case a few hundred miles to our east. A couple very powerful low pressures in south-central Canada and the northern plains of the United States have created the stronger wind across eastern Montana. These two storms will continue to swirl over the northcentral U.S. and southern Canada for a few more days. Temperatures will be cold enough closer to this storm to produce snow tonight and Friday for the eastern Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin and the U.P. of Michigan. This humungous circulation over the central and eastern part of North America will bring down a little front into Montana late on Friday but it will not have a significant impact on the state. Friday will be a bit warmer with less wind, and highs will top out in the 60s to around 70. Clouds will increase with a few isolated showers late in the day and into the night. The weekend will start off unsettled with partly cloudy skies and scattered morning showers on Saturday. There will be a little higher elevation snow as well. This system looks similar to the one that came through on Tuesday morning. It will be a fast mover and not spend the entire day in the state, so by the afternoon most areas will be mostly sunny. Highs will cool into the 50s and 60s in the lower elevations, but 30s and 40s in the mountains. Sunday will be mostly sunny with highs back up in the 60s to around 70. One issue may be more widespread freezing temperatures at night this weekend and early next week, but temperatures typically get that cold this time of year. Dry, sunny and warm weather will continue into the middle of next week. Longer range, some stormy and colder weather with the possibility of rain and snow is likely getting into the final week+ of October.
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
