BILLINGS — Like spokes on the wheel, bands of heavy rain, gusty winds, frequent lightning and even the possibility of some small hail swing will across eastern Montana into the Dakotas during the Wednesday evening hours. As a deep trough of low pressure moves off toward the Dakotas, showers will decrease as the sun gets lower in the sky Wednesday evening.
Most of southern Montana and northern Wyoming will enjoy a mostly sunny sky dry conditions Thursday with afternoon highs in the 60s to low 70s. Clouds may persist along the Montana/Dakota border holding temperatures to the 50s.
Friday will be mild with highs in the upper 60s to low 70s in the early afternoon. A fast-moving cold front will push through the region through the evening grading the possibility of thunderstorms. Wind gusts reaching as high as 50 mph will be the most likely hazard, but pockets of small hail are also possible.
High temperatures will move from the 60s on Saturday to the 70s early next week. By Wednesday, highs could be well into the 80s.
Billings forecast:
Tuesday night… Showers with a possible thunderstorm to the evening hours. Otherwise mostly cloudy with a low near 43.
Thursday… Patchy fog or low clouds possible in the morning gradually becoming sunny in the afternoon. A high near 69.
Friday… Partly cloudy with a high close to 71. A chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon and early evening.
