Record high temperatures possible Friday
Lizzy and Megan Keenan go for a jog with their dog Timber along Four Mile Drive in Kalispell on Wednesday, Feb. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
True to form, March is coming in like a lamb across Western Montana.
Spring-like temperatures are expected through Friday, according to the National Weather Service in Missoula, with some valley locations pushing into the low 60s as a high pressure builds over the region. Valley snow will melt quickly during these warm days, which could lead to ponding in some low elevations.
Afternoon highs for Friday in Kalispell will climb to 58. Polson could get to 53 and West Glacier will warm up to 51. Missoula’s daytime high could hit a record-breaking 65, and Libby could see a balmy 62 degrees.
The record high for March 5 in Kalispell is 63 set in 1968. On average, the Kalispell area won’t see its first 60-degree day until March 28, the Weather Service notes. Missoula's record high for March 5 is 61, set in 1905.
The unusual warm-up comes after a colder-than-normal February for the Flathead Valley.
The mean temperature in Kalispell for the month was 20.9, which is 8.2 degrees below normal. The average low was 12.6, which is 5.6 degree colder than average for February.
The Kalispell area totaled 14.2 inches of snow for the month — about 6 inches above average.
As of March 2, the Flathead Basin's mountain snowpack is 102 percent of average.
This week’s warm weather won’t last long. A cold front is expected to move across the area Saturday, lowering temperatures back to more seasonal levels with highs in the 40s and lows in the 20s.
Chances of valley snow return by Tuesday.
Long-range models suggest average temperatures and precipitation for March.