A powerful storm system is expected to crash into a wide swath of Montana this week.
National Weather Service officials in Missoula say the inbound storm could have more widespread impacts than the one that thrashed Missoula in July of 2024.
The entire Northern Rockies is likely to experience wind gusts greater than 50 mph early Wednesday morning through the afternoon.
Great Falls, Lewistown and Helena could get winds of 65 to 75 mph.
Cut Bank and Browning in north-central Montana have a 50% chance of wind speeds of 85 mph to 90 mph all day Wednesday.
These strong winds could damage structures and lead to dangerous driving conditions. They could also knock down trees in the already rain-saturated soil leading to widespread power outages. Officials say repairs to the power grid are extremely difficult, if not impossible, under those conditions.
Many regions by the end of the workweek will see much cooler temperatures with more rain, snow or a mix of both.
The active weather pattern could potentially last into the beginning of the new year.
