BILLINGS- So far in the Billings area, it has turned out to be a beautiful afternoon. We just have a few wispy high clouds and warm temperatures.
In Billings, the temperature has already made its way up into the low 90s and is expected to go higher before the day is done.
Around the rest of the state temps are mostly to the 80s out west, but look at all the 90s. Back in the east, it’s 94 degrees at Miles City, 96 degrees at Jordan and the low 90s at Sheridan and Worland.
But these temperatures are not finished yet: They probably will get into the mid-to upper 90s before the Wednesday is over.
On the threat board, we do have a Red Flag Warning from 2 p.m.Wednesday until 9 p.m.
The main threat will be dry thunderstorms. Their lightning could spark new fires and create erratic winds for wildfires that have already begun.
The thunderstorm outlook for Wednesday day does show we could see isolated thunderstorms across most of western Montana and much of the state.
At the moment, the Doppler radar shows a few scattered showers and thunderstorms already beginning in southwestern Beaverhead County, Mont., and in the Absaroka mountains outside Cody, Wyo.
The high-resolution forecast model for Wednesday does show those showers to continue to move into Red Lodge about 6 p.m.
Eventually, later in the evening about 11 p.m., those storms could push their way into the Billings area with light scattered rain showers.
Thursday morning those showers will be gone, but a new batch will arrive Thursday evening. We expect dry conditions again on Friday morning.
Our temperatures are expected to remain in the 90s all the way to the rest of the week and the weekend and finally cool down to about 88, on Tuesday.
BILLINGS FORECAST
TONIGHT: Turning mostly cloudy with a 20% chance for showers and thunderstorms in the evening and again overnight. South winds 5 to 15 mph. Low 68 degrees.
THURSDAY: Mostly sunny and continued hot, with a 20% chance for afternoon showers and thunderstorms. South winds 5 to 10 mph. High 94 degrees.
FRIDAY: Mostly sunny and continued hot. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph. High 95 degrees.
