BILLINGS — Temperatures will warm to the 60s to low 70s Thursday, about 15 to 20 degrees above the seasonal average. The warmth combined with gusty winds and low humidity will increase the grassland fire risk in much of eastern Montana through the Dakotas Thursday afternoon and evening.
Temperatures will continue to warm through Easter Sunday. Some locations, including Billings, will be close to record high temperatures each afternoon through the weekend. Winds decrease after Thursday.
After four days of very warm and dry conditions, a disturbance Monday through Tuesday will begin to cool temperatures at least back to the 60s on Tuesday and bring a chance of showers and mountain snow.
Here are the potential record-breaking temperatures for Billings:
Thursday, April 1… The record high is 72 set in 1991.
Friday, April 2… 75 degrees is the record set in 1943 and tied in 1990.
Saturday, April 3… The temperature at the Billings airport would have to rise to 80 degrees to tie the mark set in 1960.
Sunday, April 4… In 2000, the temperature reached 77.
Forecast highs for all four days are within 4 degrees of these records.
Billings forecast:
Tuesday night… Mostly clear with a low near 32.
Thursday… Sunny with a high close to 71. Southwest wind 10 to 20 mph.
Thursday and Friday… Partly to mostly sunny with a high near 73 Friday and close to 76 on Saturday.
