Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Glasgow, MT
Issued by NWS Glasgow, MT
253 FXUS65 KGGW 222124 AFDGGW Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Glasgow MT 224 PM MST Fri Nov 22 2024 .DISCUSSION... KEY MESSAGES: 1) A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect for mainly north of the Missouri River now through Sunday afternoon. 2) Initial snow will push through the region this evening with visibility below 1 mile at times. A flip to wintry mix is expected tonight and Saturday morning before precipitation ends as snow late Saturday. 3) Expect a marked dive in temperatures on Sunday night with lows in the single digits above and below zero. Below normal temperatures will persist through next week. WEATHER PATTERN OVERVIEW: HREF as well as various NBM guidance continues to show an initial round of moderate snow approaching the region from the west. This is already showing up on radar and reaching the Malta area. Look for visibilities below 1 mile possible at times this evening in accumulating snow. Where cold air becomes more shallow, expect a change to mix and a chance for freezing rain tonight into Saturday before a flip back to snow Saturday evening as precipitation ends. All told look for 2 to 4 inches of snowfall accumulations and a glaze of ice possible. As the system exits, markedly colder temperatures will settle in with lows near zero across NE Montana by Monday morning as Arctic temperatures plunge southward over the northern plains. With the broad deep upper level trough pattern over the western U.S., colder temperatures will likely persist into much of next week. FORECAST CONFIDENCE & DEVIATIONS: Confidence is moderate to high on snow and mixed precipitation tonight and Saturday but lower on the exact amount of snowfall due to uncertainties with mixed precipitation, freezing rain, and even a pause from the south in the precipitation on Saturday. The best estimate remains 2 to 4 inches of snowfall and up to a glaze of ice. && .AVIATION... VFR will deteriorate to MVFR and eventually IFR this afternoon and tonight as snow and mixed precipitation spreads across the region from west to east. Up to a 20 percent chance of freezing rain leading to icy conditions exists for tonight and Saturday morning, but accumulations more than a light glaze are not expected. Winds will become east at 5 to 15 kts, increasing to 10 to 20 kts on Saturday. && .GGW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory until 5 PM MST Sunday for Central and Southeast Phillips-Central and Southern Valley-Daniels-Eastern Roosevelt-Northern Phillips-Northern Valley-Sheridan-Southwest Phillips-Western Roosevelt. && $$ weather.gov/glasgow