A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY has been issued for parts of the Hi-Line from Wednesday morning into Thursday evening.
A WINTER STORM WATCH has been issued for the Rocky Mountain Front for Thurday into Friday evening.
Happy Spring! Even though the weather has felt warm and sunny the vernal equinox is 9:06pm marking the official beginning of the new season. It's been an absolutely gorgeous stretch of spring-like weather for the end of official winter, but as the calendar turns to spring winter-like conditions will return. A cold front is already moving into the state, cooling off the Hi-Line and a little light snow will break out there ththrough Wednesday morning. Areas of light snow will continue through Wednesday up on the Hi-Line into eastern Montana near Glendive where up to 3" will accumulate. Great Falls will slowly get into the cooler, cloudy action later on Wednesday but highs will still be in the 40s to around 50. South of Great Falls and Lewistown including the Helena and Bozeman areas will still have highs in the 50s and 60s. Wednesday night a few rain/snow showers and isolated thunderstorms will move through western parts of the state. Thursday morning will be cold with light snow in the northern half of Montana, especially on the Hi-Line where a few more inches will accumulate. Showers of rain and snow and even a rumble of thunder will move through Helena, Great Falls and Lewistown in the morning. Highs will only be in the 20s and 30s north, but Helena will have highs in the 40s to around 50. Friday the cold air takes over almost the entire state with a little light snow scattered about. Highs will be in the 20s and 30s but areas like Missoula, Dillon and Bozeman will still be dry and warm with highs in the 40s to 50s. Widespread snow is likely this weekend with significant accumulation of several inches likely. Highs will be in the 20s and 30s with snow on both Saturday and Sunday, low will dip into the 0s and 10s. Cold, snow showery weather will continue on Monday and Tuesday as well. It's possible that more than 12-18" falls across many of the lower elevations in the state through the weekend into early next week.
Happy Spring,
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist