Bundle up: It's getting colder

The National Weather Service on Monday issued a wind-chill warning for Western Montana through noon Wednesday as an arctic front deepened over the area.

Wind-chill values are expected to reach 10 to 20 below zero today and 15 to 35 below zero for Wednesday.

“Although winds will not be as strong on Wednesday, ambient temperatures will be cold enough that even a light wind will create dangerous wind chills,” the Weather Service warned. “The threat to livestock, pets and humans outdoors without proper protection will be high.”

With periods of light snow expected to fall, roads will remain slick, according to the Weather Service.

Skies in the Flathead Valley should be mostly sunny today and Wednesday, although the high temperature will only reach 14 degrees and winds are expected to be 16 to 22 mph, gusting to 31.

Tonight’s low is forecast to be 1 degree above zero, with Wednesday’s high reaching 17 and Wednesday night’s low at zero.

It will be colder elsewhere in Northwest Montana: Forecast lows tonight are minus 5 in West Glacier, minus 4 in Swan Lake, minus 12 in Polebridge, minus 2 in Whitefish and minus 9 in Essex.

Temperatures will rise slightly through the end of the week, although fans planning to attend local football playoff games this weekend still will need to bundle up.

Friday’s high is predicted to reach 20 degrees, dropping to 9 degrees overnight and hitting a high of 23 degrees on Saturday.

Three local football teams host semifinal playoff games: Class AA Glacier on Friday night plus Class A Whitefish and Class B Bigfork on Saturday afternoon.