844
FXUS65 KMSO 161921
AFDMSO
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
121 PM MDT THU APR 16 2026
DISCUSSION
KEY MESSAGES:
- RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS CONTINUE TODAY AND EARLY FRIDAY.
- A RIDGE BUILDING OVER THE REGION THIS WEEKEND WILL SET UP WARM
TEMPERATURES TO START NEXT WEEK.
- THE NEXT SYSTEM WITH PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED AROUND MID-NEXT
WEEK.
THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES
TODAY CAUSING NUMEROUS SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS THE REGION. THE LOW IS
ALSO PRODUCING BANDS OF WRAP AROUND SNOW ACROSS NORTHWEST MONTANA.
THE MAJORITY OF THE REGION IS ONLY HAVE MINOR IMPACTS FROM THE
SNOW, BUT THE GLACIER PARK AREA IS CONTINUING TO DEAL WITH SNOW
COVERED ROADWAYS. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN EXTENDED FOR
THE GLACIER REGION THROUGH THIS EVENING.
THE NORTHERN ROCKIES WILL BE UNDER NORTHWESTERLY FLOW ON FRIDAY
WHICH WILL KEEP SOME LIGHT SHOWERS LINGERING ACROSS WESTERN
MONTANA. THEN THIS WEEKEND A STRONG RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL
BUILD OVER THE REGION BRINGING A WARMING AND DRYING TREND. THIS
RIDGE WILL LAST INTO THE FIRST PART OF NEXT WEEK WITH TEMPERATURES
CLIMBING INTO THE 70S AND 80S FOR MOST VALLEY LOCATIONS. THESE
TEMPERATURES WILL BE AROUND 20 DEGREES ABOVE AVERAGE FOR THIS TIME
OF YEAR, BUT ARE NOT EXPECTED TO REACH DAILY RECORDS.
THE LONG TERM MODELS ARE IN FAIR AGREEMENT ON A TROUGH OF LOW
PRESSURE AFFECTING THE WESTERN UNITED STATES BY MID NEXT WEEK.
CONFIDENCE IS LOW ON HOW THE EXTENT OF THE COOLING AND COVERAGE OF
PRECIPITATION AS THIS WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE EXACT TRACK OF THE
LOW ACROSS THE REGION.
AVIATION
A CLOSED LOW WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE NORTHERN
ROCKIES THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THE EVENING. KGPI WILL EXPERIENCE
BANDS OF WRAP AROUND SNOW THROUGH THE AFTERNOON CAUSING MAINLY
MVFR/IFR AND AT TIMES LIFR CONDITIONS UNDER HEAVIER SNOW SHOWERS.
THE REMAINDER OF THE NORTHERN ROCKIES WILL BE DEALING WITH
NUMEROUS SNOW SHOWERS. THESE SNOW SHOWERS WILL BE CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING IFR CONDITIONS AT KMSO, KBTM, KSMN AND KHRF FOR SHORT
PERIODS OF TIME. GUSTY NORTHWESTERLY WINDS (20-30 KTS) WILL
PERSIST THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. BOTH THE WINDS
AND SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO DIMINISH AFTER SUNSET.
MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
MT...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR WEST
GLACIER REGION.
ID...NONE.
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