MISSOULA — Over the next five days, western Montana will see up and down weather conditions with major temperature swings and a possible weekend spring storm.
Today, a weak west-to-northwest flow will keep temperatures around normal with scattered showers. Snow levels will rise throughout the day, and while mountain passes might see some snow, it shouldn’t cause much trouble on the roads. Lolo Pass has had a light accumulation already this morning.
By tomorrow, a high-pressure system moves in, warming things up significantly. Temperatures could be 15-20°F higher than usual for this time of year.
However, by Friday, that high-pressure system moves east, and we could see a few showers return.
Friday will also be cooler, with temperatures around 10°F lower than Thursday.
Looking ahead to the weekend, a cold front is expected to push through Friday night into Saturday. This front will bring a cold low-pressure system to the area, which will likely bring cooler and wetter weather to the Northern Rockies.
The snow levels could drop to around 3,000 feet by Sunday morning, with some light snowfall expected in valleys. Snow accumulation will mostly be limited to non-paved areas, but mountain passes, especially Marias Pass, might see moderate impacts from snow.
Looking further ahead, another high-pressure system could move in early next week, bringing warmer and drier conditions once again.
