Happy first day of Winter! The new season began Tuesday morning at 8:59am, and the daylight will start to slowly increase. Ironically there was a significant warm-up for the first day of winter as temperatures rose by 20-25 degrees from Monday. Mild air will continue for the next couple of days but Santa is coming in with very cold air arriving on Christmas Eve and continuing all the way into the new year. Wednesday will be windy and mild with highs for most of the state in the 30s and 40s. With the warmer temperatures some snow will be melting making it a bit sloppy, but these warmer days will be decent to get out and do some last minute shopping or preparations for the holiday. Thursday a cold front will slice through the state with scattered snow showers and the possibility of a light accumulation. A burst of heavy snow is possible in the afternoon and evening with the passing of the front. Temperatures will start to get cold, falling back into the 0s and 10s for lows Thursday night. Friday will have some snow in the western mountains and across the southern half of Montana. Highs will only be in the 10s and 20s. Christmas Day will be cold and mostly cloudy. Snow will fall through the afternoon and evening. Highs will only be in the 0s and 10s up north, with 20s for central and southern areas. Sunday will be partly to mostly cloudy and cold with highs in the -0s to 0s. High temperatures across much of the state will be below 0 for Monday. Another round of snow is likely for Monday and Monday night. The entire week between Christmas and New Year's will be very, very cold with several rounds of light snow. Arctic air will be in place with several arctic fronts producing light snow all the way through the first week of the new year.
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
