BILLINGS — Showers and thunderstorms will continue to pop up across eastern Montana and northern Wyoming through the Memorial Day weekend and beyond. But the risk of strong to severe storms that could cause flooding, damaging winds or larger hail will decrease over time.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued until midnight Friday for Big Horn, Carter, Custer, Fallon, Powder River, Rosebud, and Treasure counties in Montana along with Sheridan County, Wyoming. Threats include isolated hail up to ping pong size, wind gusts up to 70 mph, frequent lightning, and localized heavy rain.
Thunderstorms with locally heavy rainfall of up to 2 inches will bring the chance for flash flooding through Friday evening. Locally up to 2 inches of rainfall is possible. Avoid driving over flooded roadways. The threat of flooding should subside by midnight.
There is a risk for severe thunderstorms Saturday east of Billings. Large hail is the main threat with storms, but isolated strong downburst winds and locally heavy rainfall are possible.
Temperatures will remain at or warmer than average, reaching anywhere from the upper 60s west of Billings to around 80 in the eastern plains every afternoon through Monday. Indications are that it will be a little warmer with even more mid-70s to mid-80s regionally by the middle of next week.
There will be some chance of storms around the area each day for the next week, especially in the afternoons and evenings. But the potential for flooding, damaging wind and larger hail decrease after Saturday.
