textproduct: Glasgow

KEY MESSAGES

- Hot and dry conditions expected today with gusty SE winds and very low humidities. - A Red Flag Warning is in effect from 10 am to 9 pm today. - Chances for showers and thunderstorms starting late this afternoon and continuing tonight. A few storms could become severe with damaging winds.

- A High Wind Warning is in effect starting at 4 pm this afternoon in the west and 9 pm this evening in the east and continues through midnight Thursday night. Strong west winds are expected behind a cold front tonight and Thursday.

DISCUSSION

WEATHER PATTERN OVERVIEW:

An upper ridge moving across eastern Montana today will bring the warmest day of 2026 so far with highs expected to be in the 90s in most areas and in the 80s northeast.

Increased dry southeast winds with low RH will contribute to the critical fire weather conditions today. A Red Flag Warning is in effect from 10 am through 9 pm today.

A cold front/low pressure system combined with an unstable atmosphere will allow thunderstorms to develop over central Montana during the afternoon that will move into the western zones in the late afternoon and early evening. Some storms could have strong/potentially damaging wind gusts. There is a possibility of wind gusts reaching 60 mph late this afternoon and this evening with either the cold front or outflow from any storms that occur. Have upgraded the High Wind Watch to a High Wind Warning beginning at 4 pm today in the west and 9 pm today in the east.

Showers and thunderstorms will occur at times tonight as the cold front moves through the region. Tight surface gradient will bring strong west winds that will continue during the day on Thursday with gusts above 60 mph at times. The surface low moves into Saskatchewan late tonight and becomes stacked with the upper low. Wrap around precipitation will bring a chance of showers on Thursday along the Canadian Border. Will continue the High Wind Warning until midnight Thursday night when winds will gradually diminish.

Cooler air will move into the area on Thursday as well. Expect it remain in place through the weekend as another upper trough moves in. Scattered showers may occur but a steady rain is not expected with the upper lows to our north.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE & DEVIATIONS: Adjusted pops at times this afternoon and tonight to provide better hour to hour consistency. No other deviations were made.

There is high confidence in the warm/hot temperatures today and windy conditions today, tonight and Thursday. Low confidence in timing any showers and thunderstorms.

AVIATION

LAST UPDATED: 0800Z

FLIGHT CAT RANGE: VFR

DISCUSSION: High clouds will move into the region this morning. A cold front in this evening will trigger isolated to scattered thunderstorms and showers that will move east into the vicinity of the airports this evening and tonight. This could produce some erratic winds in the area before much stronger winds arrive Thursday morning.

WIND: SE at 15 knots or less early. Increasing to 15 to 25 knots this morning with gusts to 35 knots this afternoons. A cold front tonight will veer winds to the west around 06z at KGGW, 07z at KOLF and KGDV and 08z at KSDY and increase to 20 to 30 knots Thursday morning.

EQUIPMENT: No obs from KSDY. TAF will be AMD NOT SKED until obs return.

FIRE WEATHER

Critical fire weather is expected today with SE winds increasing to 20 to 30 mph this afternoon with RH in the teens and highs in the 90s in most areas. A Red Flag Warning is in effect from 10 am through 9 pm today for all fire zones. A cold front will bring chances for thunderstorms beginning late this afternoon in Phillips and Petroleum Counties and spreading east this evening. Gusty and erratic winds and dry lightning are possible in any storms that develop.

Strong west winds 25 to 50 mph with gusts to 50 to 70 mph are expected on Thursday with min RH in the 20s south and 30s north. The strongest winds will be north of the Missouri River. Critical fire weather conditions are likely on Thursday.

GGW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Red Flag Warning from 10 AM this morning to 9 PM MDT this evening for Dawson/McCone/Prairie/Richland/Wibaux Counties-Fort Peck Reservation and Daniels/Roosevelt/Sheridan Counties- Northern Valley and Northern Phillips Counties-Southern Petroleum and Southern Garfield Counties-The Little Rockies-The Lower Missouri River Breaks including the Charles M Russell National Wildlife Refuge.

High Wind Warning from 4 PM this afternoon to midnight MDT Thursday night for Central and Southeast Phillips-Central and Southern Valley-Garfield-Northern Phillips-Northern Valley- Petroleum-Southwest Phillips.

High Wind Warning from 6 AM Thursday to midnight MDT Thursday night for Daniels-Dawson-Eastern Roosevelt-McCone-Prairie- Richland-Sheridan-Western Roosevelt-Wibaux.