So long Summer! The first day of Fall will start with widespread rain across most of Montana and the Northern Rockies. This storm has been hanging out over northern California for several days with a soaking rain that has totaled 3-6" there and has helped put out wildfires. This storm is now on the move and rain is falling over much of Oregon and Idaho as well. Many of those states' fires are experiencing rain and cooler temperatures. Rain from this storm will spread north and east through Montana on Wednesday night into Thursday morning. The rain will be heavy at times and there will be some rumbles of thunder as well. It will be one of those great rainy nights. Thursday will be cool and cloudy with periods of rain and higher elevation snow. A little sun will break through the clouds over central Montana, destabilizing the atmosphere and allowing thunderstorms to pop over that part of the state. Most of eastern and western Montana will have a solid rain for much of the day. That storm will move out by Friday morning, leaving behind windy conditions and highs around 70. After this storm, the pattern dries out and warms up through the weekend into early next week. Saturday will be partly cloudy with highs in the 60s and 70s. Even warmer temperatures are likely for Sunday into early next week, with temperatures topping out in the 70s and even a few 80s.
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
