Weather Alerts for Montana

Recent Locations: Lumberton, MS Power, MT Denmark, ME

1. Fire Weather Watch for: Dawson/McCone/Prairie/Richland/Wibaux Counties

2. Fire Weather Watch for: Fort Peck Reservation and Daniels/Roosevelt/Sheridan Counties; Northern Valley and Northern Phillips Counties; The Little Rockies; The Lower Missouri River Breaks including the Charles M Russell National Wildlife Refuge; Southern Petroleum and Southern Garfield Counties

3. High Wind Warning for: Madison River Valley

4. High Wind Watch for: Central and Southeast Phillips; Central and Southern Valley; Petroleum; Garfield; Northern Phillips; Southwest Phillips; Northern Valley

5. High Wind Watch for: Daniels; Sheridan; Western Roosevelt; McCone; Richland; Dawson; Prairie; Wibaux; Eastern Roosevelt

6. High Wind Watch for: Eastern Toole and Liberty; Hill County; Northern Blaine County; Western and Central Chouteau County; Bears Paw Mountains and Southern Blaine; Fergus County below 4500ft

7. Winter Storm Watch for: Absaroka/Beartooth Mountains

8. Winter Storm Watch for: Gallatin Valley

9. Winter Storm Watch for: Judith Basin County and Judith Gap; Fergus County below 4500ft; Snowy and Judith Mountains

10. Winter Storm Watch for: Little Belt and Highwood Mountains; Big Belt, Bridger and Castle Mountains; Gallatin and Madison County Mountains and Centennial Mountains

11. Winter Weather Advisory for: Bears Paw Mountains and Southern Blaine

12. Winter Weather Advisory for: Bitterroot/Sapphire Mountains

13. Winter Weather Advisory for: Butte/Blackfoot Region

14. Winter Weather Advisory for: East Glacier Park Region; Northern High Plains

15. Winter Weather Advisory for: Potomac/Seeley Lake Region

16. Winter Weather Advisory for: Southern Rocky Mountain Front; Upper Blackfoot and MacDonald Pass; Gates of the Mountains; Elkhorn and Boulder Mountains; Northwest Beaverhead County; Ruby Mountains and Southern Beaverhead Mountains

17. Winter Weather Advisory for: West Glacier Region

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Current U.S. National Radar--Current

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National Weather Forecast--Current

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National Weather Forecast for Tomorrow

Tomorrow National Weather Forecast and Tomorrow National Weather Map are show below.

North America Water Vapor (Moisture)

This map shows recent moisture content over North America. Bright and colored areas show high moisture (ie, clouds); brown indicates very little moisture present; black indicates no moisture.

Weather Topic: What is Sleet?

Home - Education - Precipitation - Sleet

Sleet Next Topic: Snow

Sleet is a form of precipitation in which small ice pellets are the primary components. These ice pellets are smaller and more translucent than hailstones, and harder than graupel. Sleet is caused by specific atmospheric conditions and therefore typically doesn't last for extended periods of time.

The condition which leads to sleet formation requires a warmer body of air to be wedged in between two sub-freezing bodies of air. When snow falls through a warmer layer of air it melts, and as it falls through the next sub-freezing body of air it freezes again, forming ice pellets known as sleet. In some cases, water droplets don't have time to freeze before reaching the surface and the result is freezing rain.

Next Topic: Snow

Weather Topic: What are Stratocumulus Clouds?

Home - Education - Cloud Types - Stratocumulus Clouds

Next Topic: Stratus Clouds

Stratocumulus clouds are similar to altocumulus clouds in their fluffy appearance, but have a slightly darker shade due to their additional mass.

A good way to distinguish the two cloud types is to hold your hand out and measure the size of an individual cloud; if it is the size of your thumb it is generally an altocumulus cloud, if it is the size of your hand it is generally a stratocumulus cloud.

It is uncommon for stratocumulus clouds to produce precipitation, but if they do it is usually a light rain or snow.

Next Topic: Stratus Clouds