BILLINGS — Mostly cloudy skies are in Billings Thursday afternoon, but at least the rain has stopped. So far, Billings has measured 0.12 inches of rainfall today, but it looks like the showers are the process of winding down.
The temperatures are slow to rebound, and we are back up to 47 degrees in the early afternoon. Winds are out of the north at 21 mph, giving us a wind chill factor that feels like 39 degrees.
Around the rest of the state, the temps are mostly to the 40s in the south, a little warmer up on the Hi-Line with temps there into the 50s and some low 60s.
On the threat board, we still have a High Wind Warning for Big Horn County, Mont. and around Greybull, Wyo. There the winds are gusting to 60 to 70 mph.
Plus, we have a Winter Weather Advisory for the Pryor and Bighorn mountains.
Snowfall of 4 to 10 inches is possible and travel concerns are up for that area.
Today's weather maker is a low-pressure cell over northeastern Wyoming. It's grabbing all the moisture that was up on Hi-Line, pulling it through Billings and wrapping it around into the low-pressure cell.
The high-resolution forecast model shows that as that low-pressure cell drops south it will take most of the rain, wind and snow. On Friday morning, we expect mostly sunny skies but a new low-pressure cell moves into the Hi-Line that morning.
The computer model shows that the rain around that low will push its way to the Billings area about 3:30 p.m. Friday. From there, the low moves into the northeast corner of the state and ends up in the Dakotas.
Our temps will get into the 50s for the rest of the afternoon. Then back down the 36 in the morning and up to 57 degrees about 2 p.m. Friday.
We will top out at 63 on Friday roll back into the 50s over the weekend and then back up into the low 60s on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week.
BILLINGS FORECAST
TONIGHT: Partly cloudy with a 20% chance for rain showers in the early evening. East winds 5 to 15 mph, shifting to the Southwest 5 to 10 mph overnight. Low 34 degrees.
FRIDAY: Mostly sunny with a 20% chance for rain showers in the afternoon. Southwest winds 5 to 15 mph. High 63 degrees.
SATURDAY: Mostly sunny with 20% chance for rain showers in the morning. Northwest winds 5 to 15 mph. High 58 degrees.
