A COLD WEATHER ALERT continues into midday Thursday for wind chills around -30.
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY continues tonight into Thursday for additional snow accumulation.
Harsh winter conditions continue to hammer Montana with snow, subzero temperatures, dangerously cold wind chills, slippery roads and whiteout conditions. Areas of snow and wind have made for drifting of snow on the roadways and reduced visibility. Extremely cold temperatures and wind have created wind chills will be as cold as -40 in the lower elevations, with some mountain areas wind chills down to -50. Conditions will continue to be bad overnight. The snow will shift east through the night, with the steadiest snow out around Lewistown. Thursday will be partly to mostly sunny around Helena and Great Falls, but central and eastern Montana will have mostly cloudy skies and continued light snow. Highs will be in the 0s up north, 10s and 20s elsewhere. Friday will be another partly to mostly cloudy day with areas of snow showers through the afternoon coming off the Continental Divide and Rocky Mountain Front. Highs will stay cold in the 10s and 20s. The snow should come to an end this weekend with high pressure moving in. Saturday will be partly to mostly sunny with highs in the 10s to near 30. Sunday will be partly cloudy with highs in the 10s across northeast Montana to low 30s farther southwest. Monday will be briefly warmer as a southwest wind pushes out the arctic air. Highs will be in the 30s and 40s under mostly cloudy skies. The wind could gust higher than 30mph across the plains and Continental Divide. Tuesday a cold front will work through the state with mixed rain and snow showers in the lower elevations, and some snow in the mountains. The precipitation will not be very significant but the wind gusts will. Some areas could have 50mph wind gusts. The rest of February into March should be active with numerous storms, bringing much needed precipitation, and the mountains should at least get typical snow for the time of year.
Stay warm,
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
