AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION

 
 FXUS65 KTFX 101055
 AFDTFX
 
 AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
 355 AM MST WED FEB 10 2010
 
 .DISCUSSION...
 TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY...A FEW HIGH CLOUDS ARE ENTERING NORTH-
 CENTRAL MONTANA AS THE RIDGE AXIS SHIFTS EASTWARD. WESTERLY FLOW
 WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE REGION AHEAD OF A PACIFIC TROUGH. WINDS
 WILL REMAIN SOMEWHAT BREEZY ALONG THE NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN
 FRONT BUT WILL ALSO INCREASE OVER THE NORTH-CENTRAL PLAINS.
 INCREASING MOISTURE ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE WEDNESDAY
 BRINGING A CHANCE FOR SOME LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS. LATER THURSDAY A
 SECOND PACIFIC TROUGH WILL MOVE OVER THE REGION BRINGING A BETTER
 CHANCE OF SNOW TO BOTH MOUNTAINS AND PLAINS. A FEW INCHES ARE
 POSSIBLE IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH MAYBE AN INCH ACCUMULATION OVER THE
 PLAINS FOR BOTH EVENTS. TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO RISE OVER
 THE NEXT FEW DAYS WITH MANY LOCATIONS BREAKING FREEZING.
 
 FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY...AN UPPER LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE 
 WILL BE BUILDING OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST FRIDAY NIGHT AND WILL 
 MOVE OVER THE ROCKIES BY SATURDAY NIGHT. THIS WILL ALLOW THE AIRMASS 
 TO CONTINUE A PERIOD OF WARMING AND DRYING. HOWEVER...THE NORTHEAST 
 ZONES WILL REMAIN COOL AND MOIST AS A CANADIAN COLD FRONT CLIPS THE 
 ZONES.  BY SUNDAY...A LOW PRESSURE SHORTWAVE WILL HAVE MOVED OVER 
 THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND MOISTURE WILL BE MOVING ACROSS THE 
 ROCKIES. THE REGION WILL REMAIN RATHER MOIST UNTIL BEGINNING TO DRY 
 AGAIN MONDAY NIGHT WHEN HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD AGAIN OVER THE 
 WESTERN US. THIS RIDGE WILL CONTINUE TO DOMINATE THE AREA THROUGH 
 TUESDAY NIGHT. A SHORTWAVE WILL MOVE SOUTH OUT OF CANADA AND INTO 
 NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA BY WEDNESDAY EVENING BRING COOLER AND MORE 
 MOIST CONDITIONS BACK INTO THE REGION. TEMPS WILL GENERALLY TREND 
 UPWARDS TOWARDS NORMALS IN THIS FORECAST PERIOD. THE EAST...HAVRE 
 DOWN THROUGH WEST YELLOWSTONE...WILL BE SLOW TO WARM BUT LOCATIONS 
 TO THE WEST WILL SPEND THE PERIOD NEAR AND ABOVE NORMALS. ZELZER
 
 &&
 
 .AVIATION...
 UPDATED 1044Z.
 HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT WILL PERSIST ALLOWING FOR A DRY AND STABLE 
 AIRMASS. SOME LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE TO BRING CLOUD COVER 
 ACROSS THE REGION BUT VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD PREVAIL DURING THE NEXT 
 24 HOURS.
 
 &&
 
 .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
 GTF  37  18  38  24 /  10  20  20  20 
 CTB  34  15  34  20 /  10  20  20  20 
 HLN  32  19  34  20 /  10  20  30  20 
 BZN  30  14  36  17 /  10  20  30  20 
 WEY  27  10  30  15 /  20  30  50  40 
 DLN  32  16  36  23 /  10  20  30  20 
 HVR  25   4  27  10 /  10  10  20  10 
 LWT  32  16  36  20 /  10  10  20  20 
 
 &&
 
 .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
 NONE.
 &&
 
 

 
 SHORT TERM...GUSTAFSON
 LONG TERM...ZELZER
 AVIATION...ZELZER
 
 WEATHER.GOV/GREATFALLS
 
 
 

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