The wind did not knock all of the leaves off of the trees, so there still is come color on the ground with even more color in the sky potentially. A chinook arch cloud has formed and this will create conditions for very colorful sunrises and sunsets through Thursday. This mountain wave cloud usually is a sign of warmer and windy weather, with the wind mainly on the Continental Divide and across the plains. Thursday and Friday will be unusually warm and dry. Highs will top out in the 70s to around 80! under mostly sunny skies. A southwest wind will blow up to 20-30mph across the plains on Thursday. The wind will die down some on Friday as a weak cool front moves through. Friday will still be mostly sunny with above average temperatures. This coming weekend should be another pleasant October weekend. A weak front will drop temperatures just a little for Saturday but highs will still reach the 60s to around 70. Skies will be mostly sunny to clear. Sunday will be partly cloudy and a little breezy, but clouds and showers and thunderstorms will increase through the afternoon. Highs will be in the 50s and low 60s. A cold front will lower snow levels on Sunday night. Snow is possible down to the valley floors and plains on Monday. Accumulation will be light in the lower elevations, with several inches in the mountains. Monday's highs will be in the 30s and 40s. A colder, stronger storm is on the docket for Tuesday into Wednesday. A rain/snow mix on Tuesday afternoon will turn to all snow for most of Montana. Several inches could accumulate through the night and on Wednesday. Highs will be much, much colder with highs in the 20s and 30s. This looks to be a shovelable, plowable snow. So enjoy the warmth and sunshine before the cold and snow.
Have a great day,
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
