Montana Hits 70, But it Won't Hurt This Snowpack

The National Weather Service is saying it's "likely" that parts of Montana should see the first temperatures over 70 degrees in 2025 this week.

However, the warm-up isn't expected to last long and shouldn't have much impact on the fairly robust snowpack that's been building in recent weeks, setting the Treasure State up for our summer water supply.

Still, the warmer conditions, combined with the snowfall in the past week, could cause some small streams to get close to "bank full" before it turns colder again in the second half of the week.

Get our free mobile app

How warm will it be in Montana this week?

Pretty warm and certainly above normal for the middle of March.

NWS has forecast highs reaching into the low 70s Wednesday for locations like the Bitterroot and Missoula valleys, 71 in Great Falls, and 73 in Billings. Other cities like Bozeman and Butte probably won't warm beyond the low to mid-60s.

By Thursday, an approaching cold front will push temperatures back below normal, with cooler, wet weather expected into early April.

The February snow made a real difference

After a slow start to snow accumulation in December and January, snowfall was very healthy through February in most of the basins, helping to start building snowpack for this summer's water.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service says while some sites were still at a deficit at the start of the month, most basins are at 80-100%. That compares with only 60-70% statewide at the end of last winter. A few, like the Gallatin and the Smith-Judith-Musselshell, are up to 120% of normal following big storms last month.

The rivers along the Rocky Mountain Front are an exception. NRCS reports those basins are only about 70% of normal for this point in the season.

A cool, wet April will help

In most years, March and April are when the best, lasting snowpack is built, with wetter storms, and the freeze/thaw cycle helping to lock in water content that will feed the streams for agriculture, recreation, and power generation through the summer and fall.