BILLINGS — Good morning.
It's going to be a beautiful Thursday with dry and warmer conditions under a good bit of sunshine as high pressure slides across the region.
An approaching cold front from the west will put showers and thunderstorms back into the forecast on Friday. Models are projecting mostly marginal instability that could turn some of the thunderstorms strong or even severe especially south and southeast of Billings. Frequent lightning, periods of heavy rain, and strong winds will all be possible. Definitely something we're going to have to keep an eye on.
A cut-off low associated with this front looks to stay north of Montana to start, so northern parts of the state should get the bulk of the precipitation with up to an inch across the weekend. Billings could receive about a quarter of an inch, but areas east could get up to 1" with up to 1.5" possible southeast. A few isolated thunderstorms could be embedded in these showers. We are expecting mostly rain from this system, but 3-5" of snow could fall in the Beartooths and Big Horns. The chance of rain and thunderstorms will stay with us through at least early next week.
Highs will be in the low to mid 70s today and Friday then down into the mid 50s on Saturday and Sunday. Temperatures will be in the mid 40s tonight and Friday night before cooling down into the upper 30s through early next week.
Keep smiling!
-Miller
Q2 Morning Meteorologist
miller.robson@ktvq.com
