177
FXUS65 KMSO 251919
AFDMSO
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
119 PM MDT WED MAR 25 2026
DISCUSSION
KEY MESSAGES:
- MOUNTAIN SNOW: MINOR TRAVEL IMPACTS ON MOUNTAIN PASSES DUE TO
SNOW ACCUMULATIONS UP TO 2 INCHES, THURSDAY MORNING.
- MILD WEEKEND: A WARMING TREND BEGINS FRIDAY, BRINGING ABOVE-
NORMAL TEMPERATURES BY SATURDAY.
BREEZY CONDITIONS AND LOWER HUMIDITIES IN SOUTHWEST MT TODAY WILL
ALLOW FOR ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS TODAY. PLEASE USE CAUTION
WITH ANY OUTDOOR FLAMES.
ELSEWHERE, WINDS WILL GUST 35 TO 45 MPH THROUGHOUT THE DAY INTO
EARLY EVENING. ISOLATED POWER OUTAGES AND TREE DAMAGE ARE
POSSIBLE. WINDS REMAIN ELEVATED OVERNIGHT BUT WEAKEN UNDER 25 MPH.
AFTER THE COLD FRONT PASSAGE, SNOW LEVELS WILL LOWER AND A COUPLE
OF INCHES OF WET SNOW MAY ACCUMULATE THURSDAY MORNING AT MARIAS
AND LOOKOUT PASSES. MINOR, IF ANY WINTER IMPACTS ARE EXPECTED
EVEN AT PASSES.
THE REST OF THURSDAY WILL BE A COOL DAY FOR THE NORTHERN ROCKIES.
HOWEVER, PERSISTENCE IS NAME OF THE GAME AND TEMPERATURES CLIMB
YET AGAIN ABOVE NORMAL UNDER A BUILDING RIDGE FRIDAY. LACK OF
CONFIDENCE ON LONGEVITY AND STRENGTH OF THE RIDGE REMAINS IN THE
MODELS. A FEW MODELS SUPPORT A SCENARIO OF BREAKING WAVES AGAINST
THE WEST COAST NEXT WEEK, PUSHING MOST OF THE ENERGY AND
PRECIPITATION INTO THE DESERT SOUTHWEST.
AVIATION
A PLUME OF MOISTURE WILL REMAIN FAIRLY STATIONARY THROUGH THE
AFTERNOON OVER WEST-CENTRAL MT, WITH WAVES OF SHOWER ACTIVITY
MAINLY IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH CLOUDS AT THE TERMINALS. MOUNTAIN
OBSCURATIONS WILL BE COMMON, ESPECIALLY ALONG THE ID/MT BORDER. A
COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH NORTHWEST MONTANA THROUGH THE EARLY
AFTERNOON. PRESSURE RISES ALONG THE FRONT WILL BRING PEAK WIND
GUSTS OF 25-35KTS. WINDS WILL REMAIN ELEVATED OVERNIGHT BUT
WEAKEN OVERTIME.
MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
MT...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR BUTTE/BLACKFOOT
REGION...FLATHEAD/MISSION VALLEYS...KOOTENAI/CABINET
REGION...WEST GLACIER REGION.
RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR EAST BEAVERHEAD.
ID...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR EASTERN LEMHI
COUNTY...WESTERN LEMHI COUNTY.
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