BOZEMAN — We had our last unseasonably mild day in much of Montana and Wyoming on Thursday with a ridge of high pressure in control. Two different storm systems will be combining from the northwest and the south over the northern Rockies on Friday, and that will make it feel much more like our current autumn season once again. Southwest Montana will have the first change with Friday morning rain showers.
Moisture from the south combined with an approaching cold front from the northwest will make it feel much more like fall on Friday. Highs in southwestern Montana will likely be reached early in the day as the cold front arrives here first, while areas further to the east will have more gusty wind, mild air and fire danger on Friday. The mountains will be under a Winter Weather Advisory from Friday afternoon through early Saturday morning.
Most snow amounts will be fairly low by Rocky Mountain standards with this fast-moving storm. Amounts from 2-5" will be most common, with higher amounts on our mountain peaks. There will be rain first for most areas, with snow accumulating mainly in western and central Montana. The further east you live, the less precipitation you can expect. There will be some strong, gusty wind in northern and central Montana Friday and Saturday.
After the passage of this cold front, we'll have a rapid reduction in our cloud cover on Saturday, but the temperatures will be well below average in most areas, so watch for some icy roads, especially over mountain passes. We'll have a mix of clouds and sunshine this weekend with below-average highs. Next Tuesday and Wednesday another storm will have a chance to deliver another round of rain and snow to our region, but there is time for that to change.
