776
FXUS65 KMSO 260835
AFDMSO
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
235 AM MDT THU MAR 26 2026
DISCUSSION
KEY MESSAGES:
- MOUNTAIN SNOW: MINOR TRAVEL IMPACTS ARE EXPECTED ON MOUNTAIN
PASSES THURSDAY MORNING DUE TO SNOW ACCUMULATIONS UP TO 2
INCHES.
- MILD WEEKEND: A WARMING TREND BEGINS FRIDAY, BRINGING ABOVE-
NORMAL TEMPERATURES BY SATURDAY.
THIS THURSDAY MORNING, A WEAK PLUME OF MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE TO
STREAM OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES, BRINGING MINOR TRAVEL IMPACTS TO
MOUNTAIN PASSES IN WESTERN MONTANA. MOISTURE WILL FINALLY MOVE OUT
OF THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AROUND NOON. BREEZY WEST TO SOUTHWEST
WINDS WILL REMAIN OVER THE AREA TODAY AS WELL, BUT NOT AS STRONG
AS THEY WERE ON WEDNESDAY. THE STRONGEST GUSTS WILL BE CONFINED TO
THE MOUNTAINS ALONG AND NORTH OF I-90 WHERE THERE IS A 60 PERCENT
PROBABILITY FOR GUSTS REACHING 40 MPH. THE VALLEYS WILL SEE GUSTS
AROUND 30 MPH OR LESS, WITH ONLY A 20 TO 25 PERCENT PROBABILITY
THEY WILL EXCEED 30 MPH.
A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BEGIN TO DEVELOP OVER THE NORTHERN
ROCKIES FRIDAY AND WILL REMAIN IN PLACE AT LEAST THROUGH THE
WEEKEND. THE RIDGE WILL BRING A WARMING AND DRYING TREND TO THE
REGION, WITH AFTERNOON HIGH TEMPERATURES RUNNING AROUND 10 DEGREES
ABOVE NORMAL BY SATURDAY.
A CHANGE BACK TO A MORE ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN, WITH TEMPERATURES
RETURNING TO NEAR NORMAL, IS EXPECTED BY EARLY NEXT WEEK.
CURRENTLY, 60 PERCENT OF THE FORECAST ENSEMBLE MODELS HAVE THIS
CHANGE ARRIVING AS EARLY AS MONDAY, WITH THE REMAINING 40 PERCENT
DELAYING IT UNTIL WEDNESDAY. EITHER WAY, A RETURN OF MOUNTAIN SNOW
AND VALLEY RAIN SHOWERS IS EXPECTED, AND TEMPERATURES WILL DROP
BACK DOWN TO WHERE THEY SHOULD BE THIS TIME OF YEAR, WITH HIGHS IN
THE UPPER 40S TO LOW 50S IN WESTERN MONTANA AND 60S IN NORTH-
CENTRAL IDAHO.
AVIATION
THIS THURSDAY MORNING, A WEAK PLUME OF MOISTURE WILL
CONTINUE TO STREAM OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES, BRINGING LIGHT
MOUNTAIN SNOW AND VALLEY RAIN SHOWERS. MOISTURE WILL FINALLY MOVE
OUT OF THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON, AROUND 26/1800Z. BREEZY WEST-
SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL REMAIN OVER THE AREA TODAY AS WELL, BUT NOT
AS STRONG AS THEY WERE ON WEDNESDAY. WIND GUSTS BETWEEN 20 TO 30
KNOTS ARE EXPECTED FOR ALL AVIATION TERMINALS FROM 26/1800Z TO
27/0300Z THIS EVENING.
MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
MT...NONE.
ID...NONE.
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