BILLINGS — Good available moisture and the heat of Tuesday afternoon will give rise to showers and thunderstorms. An approaching cold front keeps them going Wednesday.
After reaching the 70s and low 80s Tuesday afternoon, the main threat Tuesday evening is brief heavy rainfall and small hail with some gusts of 30 to 40 mph. Storms will pop up more frequently than Monday but won't hold together for very long.
A cold front will push into the area Wednesday morning, keeping showers and thunderstorms developing near the front. These storms will wind down in the afternoon, except for the higher terrain and along the foothills, with light showers possible elsewhere.
As the upper winds shift to the north, smoke from Canadian wildfires spills into the area on Wednesday. Whether this will affect air quality and visibility is unclear, but expect at least a haze through Thursday.
Friday begins a warming trend, with highs reaching the 80s by the weekend. Monday holds our next best chance of rain.
