Potent Cold Front to Lash Southwest and West-Central Montana With Wind, Snow and a Rapid Temperature Drop Tonight

NWS advisories highlight brief squalls with a flash-freeze risk early Saturday before a short cold snap yields to a quick warmup.

Overview

Wind Advisories and multiple Winter Weather Advisories are in effect for west-central and southwest Montana as the front moves through Friday night.
Snow squalls late tonight into early Saturday could drop visibility to near zero and create hazardous travel on short notice.
Gusty winds may aggravate recent wind damage and could bring down branches or cause isolated power issues.
An Arctic push Saturday morning will shift winds and send temperatures into the single digits, with some spots near or slightly below zero by Sunday morning.
Cold, drier conditions settle in Sunday, with a gradual warmup starting Monday and highs trending above normal by midweek.