BOZEMAN – Strong surface winds hit Montana for a second day in-a-row. The combination of a strong Polar jet stream aloft and a Pacific cold front produced the strong surface wind gusts today.
SW Montana, both west and east of the divide, saw peak wind gusts between 40 mph and 60 mph. There were reports of gusts over 70 mph at higher elevations.
The weather pattern that is producing the intense surface wind gusts today is slowly diminishing tonight. The cold front will continue to race off to the east and the Polar jet stream will begin lifting into Canada by Thursday morning.
A short-term warming trend is coming beginning Thursday and ending Saturday. Friday temperatures will be well above normal and there is a chance some lower valleys could hit the lower 60s.
Lower elevation snowpack is melting away and with temperatures reaching the 50s and 60s for the rest of the week look for continued melting with minor runoff issues.
Over the weekend the next weather maker will be another Pacific cold front producing increasing wind and showers. Behind this storm temperatures will be trending cooler by Sunday into early next week.
