It was nice to see scattered thunderstorms move across most of Montana on Thursday. The storms and increased cloud cover kept temperatures down and quite comfortable for most locations. Showers and thunderstorms will continue into Thursday night. The next few days look drier but very nice for early summer across most of Montana. However, EXCESSIVE HEAT WATCHES and WARNINGS have been issued up along the West Coast into Idaho. A potentially dangerous heat wave is building and will eventually get into Montana. Heat is the number one weather related killer in the United States, taking nearly 140 lives every year. For now this heat will hold just off to the west of the state. So enjoy the cooler weather while we have it. Friday will dry out with highs in the 70s and 80s. An isolated thunderstorm or two are possible over the mountains. A weak disturbance will clip central and eastern Montana with a few showers and isolated storms Friday night into Saturday morning. That wave of low pressure will move away with decreasing showers and clouds early on Saturday. The rest of the day should be great. Saturday's highs will be in the 80s, while Sunday warms into the 80s and 90s. A sprawling high pressure will build early next week with more intense heat just west of Montana. Highs Monday will be well up into the 90s. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday's highs will be near record levels in the 90s and low 100s. Some good news...the wind should be fairly light through this heat wave.
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
