Weather Alerts for Montana

Recent Locations: Shingleton, MI Creston, CA Hysham, MT

1. High Wind Watch for: Bears Paw Mountains and Southern Blaine; Fergus County below 4500ft; Snowy and Judith Mountains

2. High Wind Watch for: East Glacier Park Region; Northern High Plains; Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera; Southern Rocky Mountain Front; Southern High Plains

3. High Wind Watch for: Eastern Toole and Liberty; Eastern Pondera and Eastern Teton; Western and Central Chouteau County; Cascade County below 5000ft; Judith Basin County and Judith Gap; Upper Blackfoot and MacDonald Pass; Little Belt and Highwood Mountains; Big Belt, Bridger and Castle Mountains

4. High Wind Watch for: Gates of the Mountains; Helena Valley; Meagher County Valleys; Elkhorn and Boulder Mountains

5. High Wind Watch for: Judith Gap; Northern Sweet Grass; Melville Foothills; Southern Wheatland

6. High Wind Watch for: Madison River Valley

7. High Wind Watch for: Northwest Beaverhead County; Beaverhead and Western Madison below 6000ft

8. High Wind Watch for: Southwest Phillips

9. Lake Wind Advisory for: Central and Southeast Phillips; Central and Southern Valley; Petroleum; Garfield; McCone

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Current U.S. National Radar--Current

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National Weather Forecast--Current

The Current National Weather Forecast and National Weather Map are shown below.

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 are Fractus Clouds?

Home - Education - Cloud Types - Fractus Clouds

Fractus Clouds Next Topic: Freezing Rain

A fractus cloud (scud) is a fragmented, tattered cloud which has likely been sheared off of another cloud. They are accessory clouds, meaning they develop from parent clouds, and are named in a way which describes the original cloud which contained them.

Fractus clouds which have originated from cumulus clouds are referred to as cumulus fractus, while fractus clouds which have originated from stratus clouds are referred to as stratus fractus. Under certain conditions a fractus cloud might merge with another cloud, or develop into a cumulus cloud, but usually a fractus cloud seen by itself will dissipate rapidly.

They are often observed on the leading and trailing edges of storm clouds, and are a display of wind activity.

Next Topic: Freezing Rain

Weather Topic: What is Graupel?

Home - Education - Precipitation - Graupel

Graupel Next Topic: Hail

Graupel is a form of precipitation that is created by atmospheric conditions which cause supercooled water droplets to contact snow crystals and freeze to their surface.

Sometimes known as soft hail or snow pellets, graupel is delicate and easily destroyed by touch. Whereas hail usually falls during severe weather, graupel doesn't require such conditions to form, and can form in mild precipitation similar to situations which produce snowfall.

Next Topic: Hail