textproduct: Missoula

DISCUSSION

KEY MESSAGES:

- Significant warming and drying Thursday and Friday, medium-high probabilities for valley temperatures reaching 70 degrees or warmer on Friday.

- Slow-moving showers and isolated thunderstorms return this weekend, initially focused north on Saturday before shifting southward for Sunday.

A ridge of high pressure will be building over the region today into Friday leading to warm and dry conditions. Temperatures will be running 10 degrees above seasonal averages as the valleys of western Montana being in the 70s and lower valleys of north central Idaho reaching 80s by Friday.

This weekend into the first part of next week, the Northern Rockies will be between two low pressure systems. The first low pressure system will be digging along along the Pacific coast then move inland over California and traverse into the Great Basin region. The other low pressure system will be hovering over the Hudson bay. A subtle disturbance will be sliding southward out of central Canada Saturday afternoon causing a few showers along the Continental Divide around Glacier National Park. Then on Sunday, moisture and some energy from the California low will spark of showers and isolated thunderstorms across southwest Montana into north central Idaho. Then on Monday into Tuesday, around 46% of the long term models have another backdoor cold front to move out of central Canada from the Hudson low. This feature will bring more shower activity along the Continental Divide along with cooler temperatures and gusty northeast winds.

AVIATION

A ridge of high pressure will be building over the region today bringing fair flying conditions for the next 24 hours. This ridge could allow for the development of patchy valley fog that could have an impact to KGPI and KMSO during the early morning hours.

MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

MT...None. ID...None.