751
FXUS65 KMSO 082059
AFDMSO

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Missoula MT
259 PM MDT Fri Aug 8 2025

.DISCUSSION...

KEY MESSAGES:

-   The KMSX Radar (Missoula, MT local weather radar) will remain
    offline due to scheduled maintenance through August 9th

-   Showery today across northwest Montana

-   Warming and drying trend this weekend into early next week

Wrap-around moisture will continue to bring showers through this
evening, primarily focused across northwest Montana near the
Continental Divide. Breezy westerly winds are anticipated for most
areas today, with gusts generally 20 to 25 mph. Temperatures will
remain 10 to 15 degrees below normal.

A warming and drying trend will begin in earnest this weekend as
high pressure builds to the west. Temperatures will warm back to
the low 90s for western Montana valleys and near 100 for lower
valleys of north-central Idaho by early next week. Forecast
models continue to indicate the ridge will never fully establish
itself over western Montana and north central Idaho, with waves of
energy returning a cooler an active pattern potentially as early
as Tuesday/Wednesday. This may also introduce some periods of
breezy winds, especially by Wednesday where there is a 40 to 70
percent probability for wind gusts exceeding 25 mph across western
Montana and Lemhi County.

By later next week into next weekend, the ensembles are depicting
that unsettled weather may continue. The latest NBM is showing
cooler temperatures ranging from the 70s to low 80s.

&&

.AVIATION...Showers this afternoon will stick to northwest
Montana, especially near the Continental Divide where terrain
will remain obscured into this evening. After some possible
patchy fog Saturday morning, the weather will turn drier and
warmer for the weekend.


&&

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

$$