Warm weather expected to return to area this week

More up-and-down weather appears to be heading to this part of the Golden Triangle, with a week's worth of below-zero weather expected to be followed by temperatures in the 30s and 40s, and the warmer weather bringing an earlier-than-usual chance of ice jams.

While some cold weather and snowstorms had been occurring in this region since September, warm weather had always followed, melting off the snow in the lowlands, although enough accumulated in the Bear Paw Mountains tho allow Bear Paw Ski Bowl to open Jan. 12.

Warm weather continued through late fall into the start of winter, with December seeing many days in the 30s, 40s and 50s, with Havre recording a high for the month Dec. 21 - the first day of winter - at 59 degrees.

The warm weather continued through the first part of January, with highs in the 30s and 40s much of the first week and a high of 52 degrees - still not a record - recorded at the Havre airport Jan. 5.

The weather turned last week, with Jan. 12 seeing a high of 11 degrees in Havre and a low of minus 4 degrees.

That cold snap continued through Sunday, with highs below zero most of the days and frigid lows, the coldest last Wednesday at minus 28.

But that is expected to change today.

The forecast highs for today range from 19 degrees at Hogeland to 29 at Chester, 31 at Big Sandy and a balmy 46 degrees at Hays.

Highs are expected to break into the 30s and even 40s for the rest of the week in this region, with lows in the 20s and low 30s.

National Weather Service does not predict any snow will fall in this part of Montana for the rest of the week, but it does warn of the chance of ice jams.

Temperatures going above freezing after the cold temperatures will cause river ice to break up, and this ice may get lodged under bridges or accumulate in river bends or narrowing areas of rivers, causing an ice jam, the warning on the Great Falls National Weather Service site said.

Water rising upstream of ice jams could flow out of riverbanks, which could flood some nearby low-lying areas and basements, the warning said. It also could create difficult driving conditions due to road closures and re-freezing of water onto roads overnight.

Another potential threat from ice jams is a rapid rush of water downstream when the ice jam breaks up, the warning said.

"Remember, ice jams are unpredictable; they can develop or break up quickly," the warning said. "If flooding occurs in your area, make sure to follow guidance from your local authorities."

The warning said updates will be available on the Great Falls Weather Service  Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NWSGreatFalls, Twitter page at https://twitter.com/NWSGreatFalls and the NWS Great Falls website at https://www.weather.gov/tfx/# .