443
FXUS65 KTFX 102154
AFDTFX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
254 PM MST MON NOV 10 2025
KEY MESSAGES
- IT WILL BE WARM AND MOSTLY DRY THROUGH THURSDAY WITH
PRECIPITATION RETURNING TO THE MOUNTAINS THURSDAY EVENING
THROUGH FRIDAY.
- IT WILL BE WINDY THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING WITH THE
STRONGEST WINDS ALONG THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT AND PLAINS WEST
OF I-15.
DISCUSSION
- METEOROLOGICAL OVERVIEW:
MONDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING THE UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE FLATTENS ASSOCIATED
WITH AN UPPER-LEVEL SHORTWAVE. THIS COMBINED WITH STRONG LOW AND MID-
LEVEL WINDS WILL BRING A PERIOD OF GUSTY WINDS TO NORTH-CENTRAL
MONTANA WITH THE STRONGEST WINDS ALONG THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT AND
PLAINS WEST OF I-15 THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THIS EVENING A
SURFACE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH AND BRING LIGHT PRECIPITATION
TO THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT. THIS WILL BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF STRONG
WINDS TO THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT AND NORTHERN JUDITH BASIN COUNTY.
ON TUESDAY AN UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE BUILDS BACK IN OVER NORTH-CENTRAL,
CENTRAL, AND SOUTHWESTERN MONTANA. THIS UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE WILL
REMAIN OVER THE AREA THROUGH THURSDAY AND BRING WARM AND MOSTLY DRY
WEATHER TO THE AREA TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON. TUESDAY
THROUGH THURSDAY THERE WILL BE UPPER-LEVEL SHORTWAVES THAT MOVE
THROUGH THE UPPER-LEVEL FLOW WHICH WILL BRING PERIODS OF BREEZY
WINDS.
THURSDAY EVENING AN UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH ASSOCIATED WITH A SURFACE
COLD FRONT MOVES TOWARDS MONTANA. THIS WILL BRING WINDY CONDITIONS
TO THE AREA WITH THE STRONGEST WINDS IN NORTH-SOUTH ORIENTED VALLEYS
OF SOUTHWESTERN MONTANA. THE UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH WILL REMAIN OVER
NORTH-CENTRAL, CENTRAL, AND SOUTHWESTERN MONTANA ON FRIDAY. THIS
WILL BRING PRECIPITATION AND COOLER TEMPERATURES TO THE AREA
THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY. ON SATURDAY AN UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE
BEGINS TO BUILD IN OVER NORTH-CENTRAL, CENTRAL, AND SOUTHWESTERN
MONTANA. THIS UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE WILL REMAIN OVER THE AREA ON SUNDAY.
THIS WILL ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO WARM UP ON SUNDAY WITH COOL
TEMPERATURES AND MOUNTAIN PRECIPITATION ON SATURDAY. IG
- FORECAST CONFIDENCE & SCENARIOS:
ON TUESDAY THERE IS GREATER THAN A 40% CHANCE FOR WIND GUSTS IN
EXCESS OF 40 MPH ACROSS MOST OF NORTH-CENTRAL MONTANA. THE HREF (HI-
RESOLUTION ENSEMBLE FORECAST) HAS GREATER THAN A 50% CHANCE FOR WIND
GUSTS OF 55 MPH OR GREATER AND A 50% CHANCE FOR SUSTAINED WINDS OF
35 MPH OR GREATER THROUGH TOMORROW MORNING. AS A RESULT A HIGH WIND
WARNING WAS ISSUED FOR NORTHERN JUDITH BASIN WHICH CONTINUES UNTIL 5
AM TOMORROW MORNING. SEE THE SECTION BELOW FOR DETAILS.
ON THURSDAY THERE IS A 30 - 50% CHANCE FOR SUSTAINED WINDS OF 40 MPH
OR GREATER ACROSS THE NORTH-SOUTH ORIENTATED VALLEYS OF SOUTHWESTERN
MONTANA. ON THURSDAY THERE IS A 30 - 50% CHANCE FOR WIND GUSTS OF 55
MPH OR GREATER ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHWESTERN MONTANA. ON THURSDAY
THERE IS GREATER THAN A 60% CHANCE FOR WIND GUSTS OF 55 MPH OR
GREATER. THURSDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING THERE
IS A 40 - 70% CHANCE FOR SNOWFALL OF 4 INCHES OR GREATER ACROSS THE
MADISON AND GALLATIN MOUNTAINS. IG
AVIATION
10/18Z TAF PERIOD
STRONG WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT WILL MAINTAIN WINDY CONDITIONS,
MOUNTAIN WAVE TURBULENCE, AND INSTANCES OF LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR
OVER CENTRAL/NORTH-CENTRAL MT THROUGH 11/12Z, THOUGH THE
STRONGEST WINDS WILL BECOME MORE LOCALIZED TO AREAS ON THE LEE
SIDE OF TERRAIN AFTER 11/03Z. WIND GUSTS WILL MOSTLY STAY IN THE
25 TO 45 KT RANGE EXCEPT IN THE KCTB AREA WHERE 50 KT GUSTS WILL
BE MORE COMMON. MOSTLY VFR CONDITIONS PREVAIL, BUT A COLD FRONT
WILL BRING SOME LOWER VFR CLOUDS AND MOUNTIAN OBSCURATION BETWEEN
11/00 AND 11/12Z, ESPECIALLY ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. - RCG
THE KWYS TAF WILL NOT BE ISSUED UNTIL AIRPORT OPERATIONS
RESUME NEXT SPRING.
PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS
GTF 42 59 33 61 / 0 0 0 0
CTB 36 53 27 53 / 0 0 0 0
HLN 41 57 36 60 / 0 0 0 0
BZN 34 59 32 60 / 0 0 0 0
WYS 23 46 25 50 / 0 0 0 0
DLN 33 56 33 58 / 0 0 0 0
HVR 34 56 26 51 / 10 0 0 0
LWT 38 56 32 60 / 10 0 0 0
TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 9 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR EAST GLACIER
PARK REGION-EASTERN GLACIER, WESTERN TOOLE, AND CENTRAL PONDERA-
EASTERN TOOLE AND LIBERTY-NORTHERN HIGH PLAINS.
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 5 AM MST TUESDAY FOR JUDITH BASIN COUNTY
AND JUDITH GAP-SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS-SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN
FRONT.
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