textproduct: Great Falls

KEY MESSAGES

- Lingering light snow diminishes and ends in a north to south fashion this morning.

- Increasing winds along the Rocky Mountain Front and the plains will result in patchy blowing and drifting snow this afternoon and tonight.

- Drier and milder conditions are in the forecast for most locations next week with periods of breezy to windy conditions.

UPDATE

/Issued 839 AM MST Sun Jan 25 2026/

Morning update has been published, with only minor adjustments made to temperatures to either warm or cool locations by several degrees where mixing, or a lack there of, from increasing southwest/west winds later in the day will either occur or not through the day. Otherwise the remainder of the forecast remains on track, with blowing and drifting of snow still expected to occur beyond this afternoon along portions of the Rocky Mountain Front and MT Hwy 200/US Hwy 87 corridor where an appreciable snowpack exists. - Moldan

DISCUSSION

/Issued 839 AM MST Sun Jan 25 2026/

- Meteorological Overview:

A cold and moist trough and associated jet streak has kept light snow going for much of the night over portions of north-central and southwest MT. This activity will diminish and end in a north to south fashion through mid- morning. The northwesterly flow aloft will remain in place for much of the upcoming week, although temperatures aloft warm significantly and the shortwaves passing through will be more subtle. This will result in periods of breezy to windy conditions and afternoon temperatures warming to around 10 to 15 degrees above average for most locations by mid-week.

A tightening surface pressure gradient will bring the first round of increased west to southwesterly winds to the Rocky Mountain Front and the plains this afternoon and tonight. The south to north oriented valleys of southwest MT will also see increased southerly winds during this time. Although wind speeds don't look overly impressive, the combination of the winds with below freezing temperatures and a fresh coat of powdery snow on the ground will increase the occurrence of blowing/drifting snow through Monday morning.

Although temperatures warm back above average for many locations on Monday, a passing shortwave and back door cold front looks to reinforce the colder air over northern areas for another day or so, mainly along the normally colder Milk River Valley. Dry conditions generally prevail for the upcoming week; however, the aforementioned weak shortwave troughs may bring some opportunity for spotty precipitation and mostly mountain snow in addition to more breezy to windy conditions heading towards next weekend. - RCG

- Forecast Confidence & Scenarios:

Breezy to windy conditions raising blowing/drifting snow concerns this afternoon through Monday morning...

West to southwesterly winds look to gust up to around 50 mph along the Rocky Mountain Front and 20 to 40 mph elsewhere. The primary targets for blowing/drifting snow will be along the US 2 and highway 89 corridors along the Rocky Mountain Front and the highway 87/200 corridor between Great Falls and Lewistown. A winter weather advisory has been issued for these areas in anticipation of reduced visibility impacts and potential slippery road conditions and even isolated instances of partial lane blockages. More breezy to windy conditions develop over the same areas later in the week, but blowing/drifting snow threat will no longer be a factor with the warmer temperatures moving in. - RCG

AVIATION

25/18Z TAF Period

VFR conditions will prevail across all but the KCTB terminal during this TAF Period. Blowing snow will affect the KCTB and KGTF terminals from 25/21Z through 26/15Z asscoiated with increase in winds. At the KCTB terminal the blowing snow will temporarily reduce visibility to MVFR-levels at least between 26/02Z and 26/06Z. At the KHLN and KBZN terminals between 26/10Z and 16/16Z there is a low chance for fog to form. There will be isolated instances of low-level wind shear and mountain wave turbulence across North-central Montana from 26/00Z through the end of this TAF Period. -IG

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

GTF 24 18 41 24 / 0 0 10 10 CTB 26 14 35 18 / 0 0 10 10 HLN 23 3 34 22 / 10 0 10 20 BZN 19 -2 30 18 / 30 0 0 10 WYS 15 -14 18 -2 / 20 0 0 0 DLN 24 5 34 15 / 20 0 0 10 HVR 11 4 21 8 / 0 0 10 10 LWT 17 5 37 19 / 10 0 0 10

TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Winter Weather Advisory until 8 AM MST Monday for Cascade County below 5000ft-East Glacier Park Region-Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera-Judith Basin County and Judith Gap- Little Belt and Highwood Mountains-Northern High Plains-Southern High Plains.