Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Great Falls, MT
Issued by NWS Great Falls, MT
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504 FXUS65 KTFX 141429 AFDTFX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Great Falls MT 829 AM MDT Tue May 14 2024 .UPDATE... Satellite imagery shows a shortwave disturbance tracking east- southeast into north-central and southwest MT this morning. Beneath this disturbance is a weak cold front with showers concentrated near the front moving east across the area this morning. By this afternoon, the front will slow/stall across SW MT for a higher coverage of showers and a few thunderstorms there, though some showers will linger into the afternoon further north as well thanks to additional cooling aloft and afternoon instability with lingering moisture. No significant changes from precious forecast. Hoenisch && .SYNOPSIS... Widespread light, rain showers are expected through this evening across the Northern Rockie, along with cooler temperatures. A return to above normal temperatures is then expected from Wednesday through Friday, with daily chance of showers and thunderstorms. Unsettled weather conditions persist through the weekend, with temperatures falling below normal. && .AVIATION... 14/12Z TAF Period Scattered SHRA and a few TSRA will continue to linger across North Central and Southwestern Montana through the day today as a cold front pushes through the area. Expect mainly VFR conditions to prevail, with periods of MVFR to IFR conditions in and near TS/SHRA, along with gusty winds and small hail aloft. SH/TSRA activity will diminish from north to south this afternoon and evening, with just a few lingering showers across SW MT after sunset. Ludwig Refer to weather.gov/zlc for more detailed regional aviation weather and hazard information. && .HYDROLOGY... A small stream Flood Advisory remains in effect for Belt Creek in southeastern portions of Cascade County, generally from just north of Neihart to Sluice Boxes State Park. The Monarch Fire Department reported that fallen trees in the creek from the recent snowstorm are causing log jams in the creek. This is resulting in the creek coming out of its banks in locations that normally do not flood. The flood advisory will remain in effect until the water returns back to the creek or the impact has been reduced. - Brusda/Moldan && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 550 AM MDT Tue May 14 2024/ Today through tonight...An upper level disturbance moving over the Northern Rockies will bring predominately light rainfall to most of Southwest through North Central Montana, with the "heaviest" precipitation falling northeast of a Bozeman, to Helena, to Lincoln line and southwest of a Lewistown, to Great Falls, to Choteau line where there exists a 20-50% chance for rainfall amounts to exceed 0.25". High temperatures will be below normal today in wake of yesterday`s Pacific front and a weak re-enforcing cold front this morning, with readings rising into the low to mid-60s. Initial stratiform rain early this morning will become more convective in nature by the mid- to late morning hours, with showers and thunderstorms gradually exiting Southwest through North Central Montana from the evening through early morning hours on Wednesday. Wednesday through Thursday...quasi northwest to zonal flow will preside over the Northern Rockies through the period, which will help to support the chances for daily showers and thunderstorms, gusty winds, and above normal temperatures. While high winds are not expected either day; most areas on Thursday have between a 30-70% chance of exceeding 34kts, with a 50-60% chance of exceeding 41kts in the wind prone areas along the Rocky Mountain Front. Additionally, collapsing showers and thunderstorms Thursday afternoon across Southwest through North Central Montana will be capable of producing erratic, and potentially higher, wind gusts given invert-V soundings. High temperatures on both days will run from the upper 60s to upper 70s, which is 10 to nearly 20 degrees above normal. Friday through next Tuesday...the most "impactful" portion of the period is expected from Friday through Saturday, with most clusters supporting a scenario in which a shortwave trough digs southeast from over British Columbia (Friday morning) to the Northern Rockies (Saturday morning) and eventually over the High Plains (Saturday evening). This shortwave looks to bring predominately light precipitation over this 48hr period (Friday morning through Saturday night) to the Northern Rockies, with areas north of the US Hwy 12 corridor generally having between a 10-25% chance of exceeding 0.5" or precipitation (liquid equivalent). Falling snow levels to as low as 5500ft (North Central Montana) to 7000ft (Southwest Montana) with this disturbance will also allow for rain to change over to a wet, heavy snow in the mountains, with most mountain locations having between a 10-20% chance of seeing 2" or more of snow over this same timeframe. Strong warm air advection and downsloping winds ahead of the disturbance on Friday will once again push temperatures above normal across most locations, with NBM probabilistic data supporting a 30% or great chance for wind gusts in excess of 41kts southwest of a Judith Gap, to Great Falls, to Cut Bank line (this also includes the valleys of Southwest and Central Montana). Temperatures will then fall below normal from Saturday through the remainder of the period. Ensemble clusters begin to diverge on the passage/timing/amplitude of disturbances through the remainder of the weekend and upcoming work week; however, and overall unsettled pattern can be expected. - Moldan && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GTF 61 44 72 47 / 90 30 20 30 CTB 61 41 71 47 / 80 10 20 30 HLN 67 47 75 51 / 80 40 10 10 BZN 65 42 70 43 / 80 50 10 10 WYS 56 34 63 33 / 100 60 10 10 DLN 63 42 70 43 / 70 40 10 0 HVR 65 44 73 49 / 60 30 40 50 LWT 58 40 66 46 / 80 40 40 40 && .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && humidity $$ http://www.weather.gov/greatfalls