A few strong and severe thunderstorms moved across central and eastern Montana on Thursday. Montana's severe weather season has been pretty quiet so far. Usually, May, June and early July is period of greatest risk for powerful thunderstorms that can produce large hail, damaging wind and even isolated tornadoes. There will be a few opportunities across the next week or so for some big-time thunderstorms. Keep this in mind as you make your outdoor plans. A sharp cold front will moved through Thursday with the cooler airmass slowly filtering in. Highs will generally be in the 50s and 60s on Friday. There will be a few showers and thunderstorms moving through western and central Montana in the afternoon. Storms should stay below severe criteria. This Canadian airmass will bring in the threat for a frost and/or freeze for some areas Friday night into Saturday morning. Some areas including the Helena Valley and Great Falls could drop into the low to mid 30s by early Saturday morning. Some of the normally colder spots like the Little Belt Mountains could have a hard freeze. While the overnight lows will be chilly, overall the first weekend of summer will be gorgeous with abundant sunshine and comfortable temperatures. Saturday will have crisp highs in the 60s with partly cloudy skies. There will be more wind and a few isolated showers over northeast Montana. Sunday will warm into the 70s for most of the state and there will hardly be a cloud in the sky. The wind will be light out of the east. Temperatures will continue to warm early next week and some areas will be up around 90 by Tuesday. Along with the heat comes the chances of thunderstorms on Tuesday afternoon. Another cooler Canadian airmass will move in with some showers in the days ahead of the July 4th holiday weekend.
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
