Columbia Falls, Montana 7 Day Weather Forecast
Wx Forecast - Wx Discussion - Wx Aviation
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NWS Forecast for Columbia Falls MT
National Weather Service Forecast for:
Columbia Falls MT
Issued by: National Weather Service Missoula, MT |
Updated: 2:30 pm MDT Jun 11, 2025 |
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Tonight
 Showers Likely
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Thursday
 Showers Likely
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Thursday Night
 Slight Chance T-storms then Partly Cloudy
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Friday
 Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance T-storms
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Friday Night
 Chance Rain
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Saturday
 Slight Chance Rain then Slight Chance T-storms
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Saturday Night
 Mostly Clear
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Sunday
 Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain
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Sunday Night
 Slight Chance Rain then Partly Cloudy
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Lo 53 °F |
Hi 78 °F |
Lo 49 °F |
Hi 77 °F |
Lo 49 °F |
Hi 78 °F |
Lo 48 °F |
Hi 78 °F |
Lo 48 °F |
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Tonight
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Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before midnight, then a chance of rain after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53. Light northeast wind. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. |
Thursday
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A chance of rain, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 78. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. |
Thursday Night
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A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 9pm, then a slight chance of rain between 9pm and midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. South southwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 20%. |
Friday
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A slight chance of rain between noon and 3pm, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. Calm wind becoming west southwest 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 20%. |
Friday Night
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A 30 percent chance of rain. Partly cloudy, with a low around 49. Southwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening. |
Saturday
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A slight chance of rain before 3pm, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 78. Chance of precipitation is 20%. |
Saturday Night
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Mostly clear, with a low around 48. |
Sunday
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A slight chance of rain after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 78. |
Sunday Night
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A slight chance of rain before midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 48. |
Monday
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A slight chance of rain after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. |
Monday Night
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A slight chance of rain. Partly cloudy, with a low around 50. |
Tuesday
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A chance of rain. Mostly sunny, with a high near 78. |
Tuesday Night
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A slight chance of rain. Partly cloudy, with a low around 49. |
Wednesday
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A slight chance of rain and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. |
Forecast from NOAA-NWS
for Columbia Falls MT.
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Weather Forecast Discussion
398
FXUS65 KMSO 111822
AFDMSO
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Missoula MT
1222 PM MDT Wed Jun 11 2025
.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGES:
- Potential for a few strong to severe thunderstorms/locally
heavy rain threat in the afternoon hours and evening, mainly
south of I-90.
- Warm through the rest of the week and into the weekend with
daily chances for afternoon showers and storms.
- Chance for strong to severe storms again Friday.
Mid-high level cloud cover has been increasing today out ahead of
a shortwave trough tracking northeastward through southeast
Oregon and into central Idaho. In advance of this shortwave
feature, a cluster of light rain showers has been slowly pushing
to the north through Lemhi county and the southern Bitterroot
Valley extending as far east as Butte. Satellite and radar depicts
a much more stout squall line of thunderstorms producing frequent
lightning and gusty winds creeping northward toward Idaho and
Lemhi counties. Small hail and gusts to 35 mph have already been
reported earlier this morning as these storms pushed through the
Boise, Idaho area. Despite the cloud cover increasing,
temperatures have already warmed rapidly this morning into the mid
70s and low 80s by the noon hour (except where morning showers
have kept locations cooler into the 60s).
The latest CAM guidance has been persistent overnight and this
morning in having that line of thunderstorms associated with the
shortwave to move into southern Ravalli, Lemhi, Beaverhead, and
Deer Lodge/Silver Bow through this afternoon lasting until about
5 or 6 pm this evening. The strongest storms with this line will
be capable of producing wind gusts up to 60 mph as well as small
hail and isolated heavy rainfall due to modeled (and observed
vertical sounding from BOI this morning) PWATs around 1 inch. If
multiple rounds of storms train over the same location, there
could be concerns with localized small stream and creek responses
and/or debris and mud from burn scars. Most likely amounts under
heavier showers and storms max out around 0.50" of rainfall with a
60% chance to see rainfall amounts during any point this
afternoon to exceed 1/3" per hour.
Across the rest of the forecast area, anticipate scattered showers
and thunderstorms that could produce isolated wetting rains but
are more likely to produce gusty outflow winds up to 40 mph.
Over the next couple of days, southwesterly flow aloft will
remain in place due to a broad region of troughing parked just
offshore the Pacific Northwest. This will reinforce the warmer
than normal temperatures through the rest of the week and into the
weekend as well as the nearly-daily chance for convectively-forced
scattered afternoon showers and storms with daytime heating. By
Friday, an upper-level jet max in the exit region of the offshore
trough moves overhead increasing available shear and enhancing
synoptic lift to support an environment once again for strong to
severe thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening.
The breakdown of this pattern will be dependent on the offshore
trough and whether it flattens into a more zonal flow or if it
attempts to close off as it moves onshore by early next week. The
latest model guidance has backed off, yet again, on the latter
scenario with the "status quo" seemingly now the favored outcome
with near-zonal/west-southwesterly flow continuing for the near
future with a couple weak disturbances passing through at times.
&&
.AVIATION...A strong disturbance this afternoon has an increased
chance for showers and thunderstorms between 11/1900Z and
12/0100z. There is a potential for a few strong to severe
thunderstorms with erratic gusts up to 60 mph, hail and locally
heavy rainfall, mainly south of I-90 including near terminals KSMN
and KBTM, but cannot be ruled out at KMSO as well.
&&
.MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...None.
ID...None.
&&
$$
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