textproduct: Great Falls

KEY MESSAGES

- Today there will be widespread snow with the heaviest snow along the Hi-Line and in Southwestern Montana.

- Today through Monday it will be cold with a warm up expected for the middle of next week.

- On Saturday there will be snow along the Hi-Line and isolated snow showers elsewhere.

DISCUSSION

/Issued 1142 PM MDT Thu Apr 23 2026/

- Meteorological Overview:

Today there is an upper-level trough over North-central, Central, and Southwestern Montana. This combined with an upper-level shortwave will bring snow to Southwestern Montana through the day today. Early this morning strong northwest low-level winds will bring gusty winds and snow along the Hi-Line and to the Bears Paw Mountains. This snowfall will continue through the day today. This afternoon there will be isolated snow showers across much of North-central, Central, and Southwestern Montana. Today it will remain well-below seasonal averages for temperatures. Today due to strong low-level winds it will be windy along the Hi-Line. On Saturday morning strong northwest low-level winds remain in place over the Hi-Line and the Bears Paw Mountains. This will continue to bring snowfall and gusty winds to the Hi-Line and to the Bears Paw Mountains through Saturday morning. On Saturday the upper- level-level trough remains over North-central, Central, and Southwestern Montana. Another upper-level shortwave will move over the area. This combined with northwest flow aloft will bring isolated snow showers to the rest of North-central, Central, and Southwestern Montana. On Saturday it will remain well-below seasonal averages for temperatures. On Sunday the upper-level trough remains over North-central, Central, and Southwestern Montana. It begins to exit the area Sunday night. Due to the northwest flow aloft on Sunday it will remain well-below seasonal averages with isolated snow showers.

On Monday the upper-level trough remains over North-central, Central, and Southwestern Montana with an upper-level ridge approaching Montana. This will allow the area to be mostly dry with temperatures warming up slightly. Tuesday through Thursday an upper- level trough gradually moves over North-central, Central, and Southwestern Montana. This will allow temperatures to gradually warm up with mostly dry weather. -IG

- Forecast Confidence & Scenarios:

Today there is a 15 - 30% chance for 1 inch of snowfall or greater across the valleys of Southwestern Montana. Today along the Hi-Line there is greater than a 60% chance for 1 inch of snow or greater today. Today in the Sweet Grass Hills there is greater than a 50% chance for 4 inches of snow or greater. Today there is around a 50% chance for wind gusts of 55 mph or greater along wind prone areas of the Hi-Line and the Bears Paw Mountains. Today in the Sweet Grass Hills and Bears Paw Mountains there is a 60% chance for a three hour window of visibility less than a quarter mile and wind gusts greater than 35 mph. Due to lower confidence in strong winds and visibility of a quarter mile or less happening at the same time for three hours a blizzard warning was not issued at this time. However, there will be blowing snow and significantly reduced visibility at times in the Sweet Grass Hills and Bears Paw Mountains today.

Today there is a 30 - 50% chance for 4 inches of snow across the little Belts and Madison and Gallatin Mountains. As a result there are Winter Weather Advisories across much of Central and Southwestern Montana and along the Hi-Line. A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect for the Bears Paw Mountains as well due to favorable upslope winds. See the TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES section for details. Due to light snowfall amounts expected in the valleys of Southwestern Montana the Winter Weather Advisories will most likely be cancelled early. On Saturday there is a 30 - 60% chance for 2 inches of snow or greater across the mountains of North-central Montana. On Sunday across much of North-central Montana there is at least a 20% chance for an inch of snow or greater. -IG

AVIATION

24/12Z TAF Period

Areas of light snow will affect Southwest MT through the day today. Scattered snow showers will affect North Central MT through this afternoon. Expect rather strong surface winds over North Central MT through this afternoon as well. Conditions slowly improve Friday evening, as snow showers become more isolated and surface winds begin to decrease. Mountains/passes will be obscured across much of the CWA through the period. Brusda

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

GTF 37 20 42 23 / 60 40 20 30 CTB 35 18 37 18 / 70 30 30 20 HLN 40 21 45 24 / 50 30 20 20 BZN 39 18 46 23 / 60 20 20 20 WYS 34 10 42 19 / 60 10 20 20 DLN 38 17 47 24 / 50 10 10 20 HVR 33 21 40 21 / 70 40 20 10 LWT 33 19 40 20 / 50 20 30 30

TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Winter Weather Advisory until noon MDT Saturday for Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera-Eastern Toole and Liberty-Hill County-Northern Blaine County-Northern High Plains.

Winter Storm Warning until noon MDT Saturday for Bears Paw Mountains and Southern Blaine.

Winter Weather Advisory until noon MDT today for Beaverhead and Western Madison below 6000ft-Big Belt, Bridger and Castle Mountains-Elkhorn and Boulder Mountains-Gallatin Valley-Little Belt and Highwood Mountains-Madison River Valley-Missouri Headwaters-Northwest Beaverhead County-Ruby Mountains and Southern Beaverhead Mountains-Upper Blackfoot and MacDonald Pass.

Winter Storm Warning until noon MDT today for Gallatin and Madison County Mountains and Centennial Mountains.