HELENA — With spring coming up in just a few days, we will be talking about more heat-related weather events.
We know Montana is a state of extremes, but what is the meteorological explanation for heat waves and record temperatures, and when will we see it affect our state sooner, rather than later?
Weather forecasters use many tools to help predict the weather.
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One of the main large-scale patterns we pay attention to is the 500-millibar height which is the upward extent of the atmosphere at a constant pressure level of 500 MB.
How tall a column of air is at the 500 mb level directly correlates the the temperature of the column. Air expands when heated, and contracts when cooled.
Think of a hot air balloon moving upward when the burners are activated.
These higher heights are often associated with areas of higher pressure. This keeps the atmosphere dry and with little cloud cover, creating a positive feedback loop, and allowing the air to get even warmer.
You will often hear meteorologists refer to a "ridge of high pressure" when talking about relatively dryer and warmer conditions.
We are expecting our first major heat outbreak of 2025 across the West just next week. Some portions of the desert southwest will reach high temperatures in the 90s.
Portions of Montana are looking to be about 20 to 25 degrees above normal. A much-welcomed forecast for many who endured this past February.
