It's been a cool, mostly cloudy and showery stretch the last few days but the weekend will be warmer and sunny. Montana has been in a northwest flow that's delivered the recent weather. This will continue for one more day before changes start with warmer and drier weather coinciding with the weekend. Thursday, still in the northwest flow, isolated thunderstorms will develop through the afternoon. Skies will be partly to mostly sunny. Highs will top out in the upper 60s to mid 70s. The pattern will change for Friday with a warm and dry day. Highs will top out near 80 under partly to mostly sunny skies. Saturday will be partly to mostly sunny but a cold front will come down from Canada. This front does not have much moisture, but it will produce stronger wind and a wind shift. This northerly wind shift could steer more Canadian wildfire smoke down into Montana. Highs will range from the 60s and 70s across eastern Montana to the 70s and 80s in the western part of the state. Sunday will be sunny and warm with highs in the 70s and 80s. Eastern Montana will still be cooler with stronger wind. Monday will be quite toasty with highs up near 90. Strong to severe thunderstorms are possible both Tuesday and Wednesday next week. The moisture will be welcome at that point.
Have a great day,
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
