A WINTER STORM WATCH has been issued for the plains north and east of the mountains through Sunday night
A WINTER STORM WARNING has been issued for the Rocky Mountain Front and Continental Divide through Saturday morning.
A WINTER STORM WATCH has been issued for parts of northwestern Montana, including Marias Pass, Bad Rock Canyon, and Swan Lake through Sunday night
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY has been issued for parts north-eastern Montana along the Hi-Line through 6PM tonight
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY has been issued for parts north-western Montana, including Kalispell and the Flathead Valley through 6PM tonight
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We saw a light coating of snow earlier in the Helena Valley and scattered snow/rain showers will continue until about noon. This made for some wet and icy roads this morning in and around town.
The stationary boundary will adjust slightly back up to the north today, allowing places like Great Falls to warm slightly back up into the 40s with a strong west wind. All along the Rocky Mountain Front and the Western Mountains can see some pretty strong wind gusts today on the south side of the front. Highs in the mountainous regions will actually be warmer than the plains, with temperatures in the 50s. Isolated snow/rain showers will generate in higher elevations in the afternoon hours.
Tomorrow most snowfall should stick to the northern half of the state east of the Rocky Mountain Front and Glacier National Park. I cannot rule out stray showers in the mountains, especially northwest Montana. The stationary front sits up against the mountain slopes, with temperatures to the north in the 20s. Temperatures to the south will be just about average for this time of year, around 50 degrees.
Saturday night still seems to be when the heaviest snowfall will occur. We could see several inches of snow fall in the Helena Valley, while it is possible to accrue more than 6 inches in Great Falls, Cut Bank, Havre. Some isolated spots in the northern plains could approach a foot of snow.
The stationary front is through most of the state by Sunday, where the warmest temperatures in the state will be in the upper 30s. Heavy snow will continue throughout the morning on Sunday with scattered showers in the afternoon.
Helena Temperature Records Today:
High: 73° (1928)
Low: -11° (1913)
AVG: 50/25
Great Falls Temperature Records Today:
High: 74° (1928)
Low: -10° (2002)
AVG: 48/24
Get those snow shovels ready!
Joey Biancone
Meteorologist
Facebook: Meteorologist Joey Biancone
Instagram: joeybianconewx
