BOZEMAN – The weekend weather pattern is looking up with a gradual moderation in temperatures Friday afternoon and by Sunday afternoon we could see max temperatures in the upper 30s to lower 40s.
A weak disturbance will push in from the west on Sunday afternoon increasing the chance of valley rain or snow along with periods of mountain snow through Monday morning. Behind this system temperatures will fall slightly and should remain a little below normal next week.
If you are planning on traveling this weekend look for areas of gusty surface winds to develop starting Friday night and continuing into Saturday and possibly into Sunday.
High wind areas could see gusts in the 30 to 40 mph range or stronger within SW Montana but in the Upper Yellowstone region near Livingston gusts of 50 to 60 mph are possible. Strongest peak gusts should occur along the Rocky Mountain Front with gusts of 60 to 80 mph.
The National Weather Service issued a variety of winter weather highlights in northcentral Montana due to powerful wind gusts likely to produce ground blizzard conditions. Blizzard Warnings, Winter Storm Warnings, and Winter Weather Advisories are up in that region through Saturday evening.
Look for areas of blowing snow around SW Montana tonight through Sunday especially around Ennis, Norris Hill, over to Sheridan and Twin Bridges. Dillon southward over Monida Pass could see more blowing snow and low visibility travel hazards.
