textproduct: Great Falls

KEY MESSAGES

- Light mountain snow/valley rain expected this morning. - Multiple chances for light mountain snow continue through most of the next week, even as mild temperatures continue. - Winds gradually increase along the Rocky Mountain Front, peaking on Tuesday.

UPDATE

/Issued 821 AM MST Fri Jan 2 2026/

Today light mountain snow will continue across the Rocky Mountain Front and Southwestern Montana. Most of the lower-elevation rain has now ended or will be ending over the course of the next couple of hours. For the update, temperatures across the Montana 200/US Highway 87 Corridor were increased to better reflect current observations and trends. Also with daylight lower- elevation precipitation will remain as mostly rain and so freezing rain was removed from the grids. The rest of the forecast is on track. -IG

DISCUSSION

/Issued 821 AM MST Fri Jan 2 2026/

Upper level ridging anchored over the Great Basin will keep us fairly warm over the next few days, with only some light snow over the higher terrain along the Continental Divide expected through most of the next week. The only real exception to this trend will be some very light rain/mixed precipitation across the plains this morning, but even this will be rather light.

The biggest impact from this ridge to our south is likely to be some winds along the Rocky Mountain Front, which will be present just about every day throughout the next week, though winds will peak on Tuesday as an upper level shortwave passes over the region. However, even with this system to help spur the stronger winds, any strong winds are likely to be confined to the Rocky Mountain Front and adjacent plains, as a weak surface high pressure over Southern Alberta and Saskatchewan will keep winds from finding their way too far to the east.

Behind this shortwave on Tuesday, the upper level ridge over the Great Basin will weaken, which will allow for some slightly cooler air to work into the area from the north for the second half of the week. This may also allow for some stronger systems to work into the area, which may allow for some more widespread precipitation chances as we head towards the weekend. Ludwig

AVIATION

02/18Z TAF Period

Main concern will be low clouds over portions of the CWA. The Havre area will have the lowest clouds, and that could last into the evening hours. Otherwise, low mid clouds will be common over the southern/eastern portions of the CWA. A few mountain showers are possible, but nothing significant is expected through the period. Mountains/passes will be obscured at times. Brusda

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

GTF 52 35 52 38 / 20 10 0 0 CTB 43 21 42 29 / 10 10 0 0 HLN 45 30 47 31 / 30 0 0 10 BZN 45 28 47 30 / 50 0 0 10 WYS 35 25 39 26 / 70 20 10 70 DLN 47 30 46 30 / 20 0 0 20 HVR 30 16 31 23 / 10 0 0 0 LWT 51 32 52 36 / 10 10 0 0

TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.