A WIND CHILL ADVISORY is in effect into Friday morning.
An arctic front produced a few inches of snow in the lower elevations and as much as 12" of fluffy snow in the mountains. Temperatures have dropped and continue to fall through the night into Friday morning. Actual air temperatures will drop below 0 for many areas tonight with wind chill values as cold as -20 to -30 especially across eastern Montana where the wind will be stronger. This arctic airmass does not appear to linger for a long period, rather it will start to modify on Friday. A chinook wind will develop and push the cold air out. Some blowing snow may be an issue over the mountain passes and across the plains. Highs will be in the 10s to near 20 in the valleys and mountains on Friday, but the plains will warm up closer to 30 under mostly sunny skies. This weekend will be mostly sunny with moderating temperatures into the 20s and 30s for most areas. A strong wind will blow across the plains and passes. Monday will be partly to mostly cloudy and temperatures will rise into the 30s and 40s, almost average. Next week is Thanksgiving, and right now there does not appear to be any large storm that would affect travelers at the beginning of the holiday here in Montana. A front will bring some snow showers and wind on Tuesday night into Wednesday, but this will not be a crippling storm. Temperatures look close to average but there will be a pretty strong wind over the plains and along the Continental Divide and the Rocky Mountain Front. Thanksgiving itself looks quiet, partly cloudy, with wind across the plains and highs in the 30s and 40s. A high pressure will push in for the holiday weekend with continued dry conditions, seasonable temperatures and wind mainly across the plains.
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
