Happy Winter! The season officially started at 8:27pm but where is the appropriate weather? Christmas is almost here but it does not look or feel much like the holiday season as temperatures have been mild and snow has been scarce. Besides a little shot at snow on Friday night into Saturday morning, above average temperatures and below normal snow will continue really for the rest of the year! Friday will be another quiet day with mostly sunny skies and highs above average. A few snow showers will move through mainly in the mountains Friday night into Saturday morning. The mountains could have a coating up to an inch but do not expect any accumulation in the lower elevations. Saturday the front will move through central and eastern Montana with some snow shower early on. Closer to the Continental Divide will turn mostly sunny by afternoon. It will be blustery and feel more like winter. Gusts could reach 30mph. Highs will be in the 30s and 40s. Sunday will be mostly sunny with a light wind and highs will top out in the 30s to low 40s. Christmas Eve night will be clear and temperatures will drop into the 10s. Christmas Day on Monday will be partly to mostly cloudy with highs in the 30s to around 40. More sunshine will occur for eastern Montana. There will be a bit of a breeze over the plains but the valleys will have no wind. It will be a pleasant holiday with no weather issues. The weather activity may pick up a few days after Christmas but it's looking like we may have to wait 'til next year for a good snow event. Another big warmup is on the way for Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday will be partly to mostly cloudy with a few snow showers but most of the state will be dry again. There will be very strong wind across the state with the passing of the front. Quiet weather will continue for the final weekend of the year.
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
