BOZEMAN – An active weather pattern is on track to impact your 4th of July holiday weekend. There are several disturbances surrounding Montana that will produce scattered showers and thunderstorms and some thunderstorms could produce locally heavy rainfall.
Weak garden variety thunderstorms are likely Friday afternoon and again Saturday. These storms should be few and far between and mostly during the late afternoon hours.
Sunday is the high probability day for thunderstorm activity. Thunderstorms are possible in the early morning hours around Butte and Anaconda with stronger thunderstorms likely for most of SW Montana Sunday afternoon into early Sunday evening.
These storms on Sunday could be on the stronger side with a few possible storms reaching severe criteria with large hail or damaging wind gusts. Forecast models should up to or over a half an inch of rain is possible this weekend.
Forecast models as of Friday afternoon show most thunderstorms diminishing by early Sunday evening. This could chance, look for updates on the KBZK STORMTracker Weather Mobile App this weekend. Best case scenario is for thunderstorms to diminish in time for the big fireworks show in Butte by 10:30 pm. However, gusty winds are likely to continue up to midnight Sunday and that could impact the show.
Monday’s forecast for most of SW Montana will remain on the stormy side with morning showers possible and a good chance for afternoon thunderstorms to develop locally, please plan accordingly.
Finally, a word of caution. This is a big outdoor weekend with the 4th of July holiday. Thunderstorms can be deadly with lightning strikes. According to the National Weather Service, 10% of those struck by lightning are killed each year and 90% are left with various degrees of disability. When thunder roars head indoors!
