What a beautiful day! Besides a little cool down with some snow briefly in early October, the month has been mild and quiet. Temperatures will even be warmer on Friday, but after that the numbers will trend down into next week. Storms are lined up in the Pacific and will be heading into the coast. However, this pattern will initially favor west of the Continental Divide and much of Montana will be dry until the weekend. While there will be some snow in the mountains and rain showers west of the Divide here in Montana, many areas east will have to wait a little while. The active pattern should continue through the end of October with more of Montana seeing an opportunity for rain and higher elevation snow next week. After a sunny start, clouds will increase Friday afternoon but there will be little more than an isolated shower late in the day over the western mountains. A weak area of low pressure will bring showers and mountain snow showers Friday night into Saturday morning. Saturday will start mostly cloudy but there will be more intervals of sunshine in the afternoon making it a pretty nice day with highs in the 50s. For general hunting opening day, expect temperatures in the 30s and 40s in the mountains. A few showers will move through mainly in the mountains. Sunday will be a decent day in between storms with partly cloudy skies and mild temperatures in the 50s and 60s. Monday will have a better chance for showers and mountain snow east of the Continental Divide. More moisture will move through in the final week of October. Temperatures also will cool down to well below average by the middle of next week. Wind will probably be the most common feature from this stormy pattern.
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
