BILLINGS – In the early afternoon, it looks like a very comfortable Fourth of July for just about everybody in the Billings area and south-central Montana.
All we see now are just a few fair-weather clouds and 71 degrees with an East wind at about three mph.
Around the rest, the state temps are mostly into the 60s and 70s everywhere you look. But the big story of the Fourth of July is always the rain, and so far, Billings has had their fair share.
Early this morning around three or four o’clock we measured .17 inches of rainfall, that’s the most in the state, so far.
The thunderstorm Outlook for today shows just a few more isolated thunderstorms possible in Montana and the Billings area.
Most of the big stuff looks like it will continue to form just to the south of us in northern Wyoming.
The Doppler radar and satellite imagery show a line of rain showers just North of Reedpoint to Roundup.
They are following the jet stream. In fact, that’s where Billings will get its chance of rainfall later tonight.
The High-Resolution forecast model shows those showers will continue to stay just north of the city throughout much of the evening.
By 10 p.m. we will see a line of thunderstorms from Sweet Grass through Golden Valley counties on up to Fergus County. Though showers look like they’ll stay north of Billings.
By 6 a.m. Friday, another batch of rain moves in and gives Billings a slight chance for some showers with the heavier stuff remaining to the south and east.
Our temperatures, this afternoon will continue to stay into the low 70s and roll back to the 50s in the morning and get back to the 70s again on Friday afternoon.
BILLINGS FORECAST
TONIGHT: Mostly cloudy with a slight chance for showers and thunderstorms in the evening, then another chance for rain showers overnight. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Low 55 degrees.
FRIDAY: Mostly cloudy with a 60 percent chance of rain showers likely in the morning and a chance for thunderstorms in the afternoon. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph. High 73 degrees.
SATURDAY: Mostly sunny with only a 20 percent chance for showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. East winds 5 to 10 mph. High 83 degrees.
