AN EVACUATION WARNING has been issued for the town of Rimini.
A WINTER STORM WATCH has been issued for the Glacier area for Saturday into Sunday.
Warm and windy conditions have pushed the Jericho Mountain Fire over the Continental Divide toward the town of Rimini where an EVACUATION WARNING has been issued. An EVACUATION WARNING means people should prepare to leave their homes with essential belongings. An EVACUATION ORDER is given when people need to leave their homes. The worst weather conditions for the fire were Wednesday afternoon with warm temperatures and gusty winds. Just as things get really close, wet and cooler weather will move back into the state. A large low pressure currently in the Gulf of Alaska will come down to the northern Rockies with cooler temperatures, rain and higher elevation snow. Thursday will start out sunny but skies will become partly cloudy with scattered thunderstorms popping in the afternoon. Highs will top out in the 80s. The wind will be much lighter around the Jericho Mountain Fire and the direction will switch to the north. This is the beginning of a big storm that will move in Friday through the weekend. Friday is the official start of summer but it will not feel like it. Showers and thunderstorms will move across the state with highs in the 50s and 60s west, 60s and 70s across eastern Montana. Some thunderstorms in north-central Montana could turn severe. Areas of rain in central and western Montana will continue Friday night into Saturday. Some high mountain snow will develop in western Montana by Saturday. Highs will be in the 50s and 60s. Sunday morning snow levels will drop down to as low as 5000' with accumulation of a few inches above that level. The first Sunday of summer will be cool, cloudy and showery with some higher elevation snow. Highs will only top out in the 40s and 50s, with a few spots barely cracking 60. The Jericho Mountain Fire could see snow by Sunday morning. The cool, wet weather will certainly help firefighting efforts. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will continue Monday and Tuesday with temperatures slowly warming up into the 70s.
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
