BILLINGS — Dry conditions and very warm temperatures for early April highlight the weather on Thursday and for areas east of Billings on Friday. By the weekend, the temperatures are cooler than average, with an excellent chance of areas of heavy rain and heavy snow.
After a mild start, temperatures will soar Thursday afternoon into the 70s, with even some low 80s possible from Billings eastward. Winds will be brisk in the eastern plains, increasing fire risk, so use care.
The warmest readings will shift to the eastern edge of Montana into the Dakotas for Friday, but still above average readings across our area. Highs Friday will be mainly into the 60s from Billings to the west and 70s to the east.
The very potent weather system starts to move in, bringing a good chance of rain across a big chunk of the area Saturday, Sunday with lingering showers into Monday. A Winter Storm Watch is in effect for the Pryor and Bighorn Mountains, where one to three feet of snow is possible.
Precipitation in the lower elevations could be rain, snow or a rain / snow mix, depending on the location, elevation and time of day. More important than the type of precipitation will be how heavy it will be.
Current model trends show portions of the area could pick up one to two inches of precipitation from late Friday through Monday.
