Montana Weather March 5 Midday - Winter Storm Warning

Good afternoon. Montana. I'm Aaron Jolly. That half foot of snow we woke up to? It's wrapping up now. Step outside and you're looking at 37 degrees with a few flakes still drifting down. But forget about today — this weekend is about to get absolutely wild. In the next 24 hours. Eastern Montana wraps up the snow and rain by early evening. You'll hit 48 degrees this afternoon before temperatures crash to 30 tonight. Mixed precipitation lingers until 6 A.M. Friday, then we clear out. Friday rebounds nicely to 50 under partly sunny skies. Central Montana gets the steadiest rain this afternoon — 70 percent chance with cloudy skies. High near 45 before dropping to 42 by evening. Rain flips to snow overnight as we fall to 28. Friday turns mostly sunny and breezy, climbing to 49. Western Montana catches a brief rain chance around 1 P.M. — 40 percent odds. High near 46, then down to 30 tonight with a chance of rain and snow before midnight. Friday stays mostly cloudy with a slight chance of snow, topping out at 45. Now here's where things get interesting. Saturday brings a dramatic warmup — highs jump into the upper 50s and low 60s. But that warmth comes with a price. Winds crank up Saturday afternoon, gusting to 40 or 50 miles an hour across much of the state. Sunday gets even wilder. Temperatures soar into the upper 60s, even touching 70 in some spots. But those winds intensify — widespread gusts of 50 to 60 miles an hour, possibly higher along the Rocky Mountain Front. If you're driving high-profile vehicles this weekend, plan accordingly. Monday flips the script. A cold front drops temperatures back into the 50s with rain and snow showers. That cooler, active pattern continues through midweek, with highs in the 40s and periodic snow chances. Charge your phone before this weekend. You might need those wind alerts. For the extended outlook, check the latest forecast as confidence improves. That's your forecast — we'll be back tomorrow.