FXUS65 KTFX 091653 AFDTFX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Great Falls MT 953 AM MST Fri Feb 9 2024 .SYNOPSIS... Light snow today, diminishing for this evening as our weather system moves out of the region. Quieter weather is in store for the weekend with some breezy conditions along the Rocky Mountain Front for Saturday. Unsettled weather conditions for next week. && .UPDATE... Current radar shows light widespread snow across the CWA. There is a surface low pressure in Southeast Montana and in Central Idaho. A stationary boundary is draped across Central Montana along the Glacier Park to Billings corridor. Widespread light snow with some moderate snow in the Southwest mountains continue through the morning along the boundary. No major changes were made to the forecast, as widespread snow will begin to decrease during the afternoon as the surface low pressure moves off to the southeast and high surface pressure builds in from the north. Southwest MT will continue to see snow showers through the evening today. -Wilson && .AVIATION... 437 AM MST Fri Feb 9 2024 (09/12Z TAF Period) Fog and light snowfall prevails through this afternoon across all airfields, bringing conditions to be between IFR, LIFR, and MVFR. Conditions improve after noon as our weather system moves east, with lingering low VFR condition clouds until tonight. Fog has potential to redevelop for tomorrow morning across North Central and Southwest Montana airfields. Mountain obstruction continues through the TAF period. Webb Refer to weather.gov/zlc for more detailed regional aviation weather and hazard information. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 437 AM MST Fri Feb 9 2024/ Light snow continues this morning across the region as upper level troughing is exiting to our east today. A half inch to one inch of additional snowfall is forecasted through tonight, with higher elevations of southwest Montana mountains seeing higher amounts as moisture aloft lingers through tonight. Winter weather driving conditions can be expected for this mornings commute (primarily between 5 AM and 9 AM) as road surface and air temperatures are below freezing with snow going to initially stick onto pavements. Areas of black ice can be observed as well this morning, use caution while driving as road surfaces could be slick/icy. The Winter Weather Advisory for Southwest Montana Mountains continues through 11 PM tonight as snowfall amounts are between 1 to 3 inches for lower elevations and 4 to 6 inches for higher elevations. Due to cloud coverage, temperatures today will remain near normal with highs in the 20s. Upper level ridging builds in for tomorrow, with clearing skies tonight as our weather system moves out of the region. Low temperatures tomorrow morning are forecasted to be in the teens and single digits. Patchy fog with reduced visibility has potential to develop across much of North Central and Southwest Montana tomorrow morning. Along the Rocky Mountain Front for Saturday, breezy conditions are forecasted for the afternoon as winds could gust up to 40 mph. We'll continue to monitor the forecast for the potential of blowing/drifting snow along the Marias Pass. High temperatures return back into the 30s and low 40s for Sunday and Monday with lower elevation snowmelt likely to occur, with the exception of the Milk River Valley where temperatures could struggle to warm up as fast as the surrounding area. A cold front from the Northwest moves through the region on Monday, returning temperatures to near normal for next week as upper level troughing is favorable to build back in. Unsettled weather conditions returns for midweek with daily chances (>15%) of precipitation across North Central and Southwest Montana, with our next weather system bringing accumulating snowfall for Wednesday next week. Webb && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GTF 29 9 34 19 / 80 10 0 0 CTB 26 4 33 21 / 30 0 0 0 HLN 30 13 32 16 / 50 10 0 0 BZN 30 11 29 9 / 50 30 0 0 WYS 26 1 27 1 / 70 50 10 0 DLN 31 11 29 9 / 60 30 0 0 HVR 28 6 25 12 / 50 10 0 0 LWT 28 9 31 14 / 60 20 0 0 && .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory until 11 PM MST this evening for Gallatin and Madison County Mountains and Centennial Mountains- Ruby Mountains and Southern Beaverhead Mountains. && $$ http://www.weather.gov/greatfalls