054
FXUS65 KMSO 181912
AFDMSO
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
112 PM MDT SUN OCT 18 2026
DISCUSSION
KEY MESSAGES:
- MILD TEMPERATURES CONTINUE THROUGH THURSDAY.
- UNSETTLED WEATHER AND COOLER TEMPERATURES ARRIVE FRIDAY INTO
NEXT WEEKEND.
MILD WEATHER WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE NORTHERN ROCKIES THROUGH THE MIDDLE
OF THE WEEK. FORECAST MODELS SHOW A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM STALLING OFF THE
CALIFORNIA COAST BY MONDAY, WHILE THE MAIN STORM TRACK STAYS FAR TO THE
NORTH ACROSS ALASKA AND NORTHERN CANADA. THIS WILL BRING MILD DAYTIME
TEMPERATURES, AROUND 10 DEGREES ABOVE AVERAGE, ACROSS THE REGION. MOST
AREAS WILL REMAIN DRY TODAY (SUNDAY) AND MONDAY. HOWEVER, A FEW SHOWERS ARE
POSSIBLE IN NORTH-CENTRAL IDAHO AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA ON TUESDAY AND
WEDNESDAY AS MOISTURE MOVES NORTH FROM THE CALIFORNIA COAST.
COMPUTER MODELS SHOW VARYING SOLUTIONS AS A LARGE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER
ALASKA AND CANADA MOVES SOUTH TOWARD THE WESTERN U.S. THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.
MOST MODELS SUGGEST THIS SYSTEM WILL COMBINE WITH THE LOW PRESSURE AREA OFF
THE CALIFORNIA COAST, INCREASING THE CHANCE FOR RAIN AND SNOW BY FRIDAY.
WHILE THE EXACT TRACK OF THESE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS REMAINS UNCERTAIN,
CONFIDENCE IN A COOLER AND WETTER PATTERN IS HIGH. BY THE END OF THE WEEK,
AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES WILL BE 10 TO 20 DEGREES COOLER THAN THIS WEEKEND,
RETURNING TO NEAR NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR.
AVIATION
MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHT TERRAIN-DRIVEN WINDS ARE EXPECTED
OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES FOR THE REST OF TODAY AND MONDAY. LIGHT WINDS AND
CLEAR SKIES TONIGHT WILL ALLOW PATCHY FOG AND STRATUS TO DEVELOP IN THE
VALLEYS, ESPECIALLY ALONG BODIES OF WATER. ANY FOG AND STRATUS THAT
DEVELOPS WILL DISSIPATE BY 1700Z EACH MORNING.
MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
MT...NONE.
ID...NONE.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.
Main Text Page