NewsBreak Original

After the next system passes through around the end of the week, we will get a little respite in the weather. Winds should have completed their transition to the west by this evening, and they should remain somewhat stronger tonight, averaging 10 - 15 kts sustained.

Weather conditions will be calm for the most part over the Lower 48 today, with just scattered showers and thunderstorms in parts of the Pacific Northwest, Great Lakes, and northern New England.

Bitterly cold air has swept into North-central Montana, and it is expected to continue its advance into the Southwestern United States. Overnight and into Wednesday morning, areas of light snow are expected to return. Another bout of light snow is expected throughout the whole area on Thursday, as warmer air from the Southwest starts to move back into the region.

Even though light precipitation is likely to reduce and cease today morning, an Arctic airmass with severely low wind chills is predicted to stay over the area until Saturday morning.

A lengthy period of troughing in the Intermountain West, as well as ridging in the Southeast, continues to have an impact on the continental United States. Cold temperatures are most prevalent under the troughing pattern in the West, with dangerously low wind chills prevailing in the Northern Plains and the Rocky Mountains.

Temperatures in North-central Montana will continue below zero today, with some recovery into the teens above zero in the Southwest. Light snow continues to fall in some areas, but there has been minimal fresh accumulation. Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to be similar in terms of weather.

As for the immediate term, the biggest worry is the accumulation of snow in the southwest and south-central North Dakota, which will continue tonight through Christmas Day. According to the National Weather Service, extremely low wind chills are also forecast over northern North Dakota tonight and into Christmas morning.