FXUS65 KTFX 210541 AFDTFX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Great Falls MT 1141 PM MDT Fri Mar 20 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Gusty winds continue on Saturday, but not as strong as Friday. - Well above average temperatures and drier conditions across Southwest Montana will maintain elevated fire conditions into Saturday. - Somewhat cooler temperatures and a brief chance for light precipitation follow the passage of a frontal system across the area Saturday. && .DISCUSSION... Gusty, and at times strong, southwest to west winds will continue over the plains of Central and North Central Montana through the early morning hours today as strong westerly winds just off of the surface slowly slide east of the Northern Rockies. At the surface a cold front, which was moving south of Calgary as of late Friday evening, will begin to move south across the International Border between 4-8 AM Saturday to around the Montana Hwy 200 corridor by 7- 11AM Saturday. This cold front will then slow as it begins to interact with the Island Ranges of Central Montana before eventually pushing through the valleys of Central and Southwest Montana during the mid- to late afternoon hours on Saturday. Light, to at times brief moderate, rain will accompany the passage of this front, with the best chance for wetting rainfall occurring over Central Montana. While some minor snowfall accumulations are possible in the mountains initially high snow levels will help to limit accumulations. Zonal flow over the Northern Rockies from Sunday through Tuesday will help to maintain above normal temperatures and overall dry conditions, with daytime highs generally ranging from the mid-50s to mid-60s across most locations. A fast moving shortwave and strong Pacific front then looks to move over the Northern Rockies through the middle to end of the work week; which will bring another round of strong and gusty winds to portions of Southwest through North Central Montana and chances for precipitation from Tuesday night through Thursday. - Moldan && .AVIATION... 21/06Z TAF Period Gusty west winds will continue overnight over North Central MT, but overall they will also decrease a bit. Expect a surface wind shift to the northwest/north on Saturday as a cold front moves southward through the CWA. Light showers will continue along the divide through the period, but expect light showers to also develop in the wake of the cold front on Sat. Mountains/passes will be obscured at times. Brusda && .FIRE WEATHER... Above normal temperatures, gusty winds, and low afternoon relative humidity values will once again be observed on Saturday; however, winds and humidity values won't be as strong or low, respectively, as to what was observed on Friday. A weak front moving south will bring a wind shift to the northwest to north through the day on Saturday, with light rain possible across mainly Central Montana. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GTF 76 51 57 31 / 10 20 60 20 CTB 67 44 49 27 / 10 20 30 10 HLN 77 44 60 28 / 0 10 50 20 BZN 80 44 67 27 / 0 0 50 30 WYS 65 28 61 22 / 0 0 20 30 DLN 76 44 69 27 / 0 0 10 10 HVR 75 48 55 27 / 10 20 40 20 LWT 75 45 55 28 / 10 10 90 50 && .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... High Wind Warning until 6 AM MDT Saturday for Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera-Southern High Plains. && $$ http://www.weather.gov/greatfalls