National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

• Home
• Site Map
• News
• Organization
• Search for: NWS All NOAA 

000
FXUS65 KMSO 180858
AFDMSO

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Missoula MT
258 AM MDT Thu Apr 18 2024

.DISCUSSION...An upper level low over the Canadian mid-west has a
trough extending as far west as eastern Washington State today.
This trough will persist through today and keep cool air aloft
enabling unstable, showery conditions again this afternoon. By
Friday the low will be far enough west that showers will be more
isolated and mostly over southwest Montana.

A ridge builds in quickly on Saturday and temperatures will shoot
back up above average for a day with mostly clear skies.

Sunday another upper level low, this time smaller than the last
one, will clip off the top of the ridge and cause a return to
showery weather. But with the warmer air mass in place over the
region from Saturday, the showers will be rain and not snow.

For the rest of next week models show an active Spring weather
pattern continuing. That means temperatures will vacillate between
above and below average as frequent short waves bring periods of
showers.


&&

.AVIATION...A trough extending westward from a deep upper level
low centered over the Canadian Midwest will cause unstable
conditions again today. Snow shower coverage will be less than
yesterday, but we do expect afternoon showers again today. Since
the showers will occur in the afternoon, we expect no snow
accumulation issues at area terminals.

&&

.MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...None.
ID...None.
&&

$$