BILLINGS — It is another beautiful day in our neighborhood. All we can see is a high thin cloud over downtown Billings as we overlook the Beartooth Mountains.
Our temperatures got high as well, this Wednesday, as early afternoon temps jumped up into the mid-40s.
Around the rest of the state, temps were mostly into the teens 20s and 30s out in the west, 30s across the Hi-Line and 40s in the central part of the state extending all the way to east-central Montana.
On a threat board, we have a Winter Weather Advisory for northwestern Montana for Thursday morning. We could see 1 to 2 inches of snow there.
That becomes a Winter Storm Watch on Thursday evening through Friday morning for 5 to 10 inches of snow.
A little farther east on the Rocky Mountains front, we are expecting a High Wind Watch on Thursday night through Friday for winds gusting to 60 mph.
However, right now, we have the jet stream coming out of southwestern Montana arching up past Billings, returning back down to the Dakotas.
It indicates the northern edge of the big ridge of high pressure that's been dominating our weather pattern so far this week.
Our high-resolution forecast model shows we could see scattered rain showers up by Glacier National Park Wednesday afternoon and then by later tonight at 11:30 p.m. some isolated snow showers could move into Billings and the surrounding area.
After that another wave of moisture moves in by 9 p.m. Thursday, giving Billings a chance for some additional rain or snow.
On Friday, all that moisture goes away and we are expecting mostly sunny skies to start off a beautiful weekend.
We will top out at 45 on Thursday up to 54 on Saturday and then back to the 40s as we start up next week.
BILLINGS FORECAST
TONIGHT: Mostly cloudy, breezy and cool. Southwest winds 10 to 20 mph. Low 27 degrees.
THURSDAY: Mostly sunny, breezy and warm. Southwest winds 10 to 20 mph. High 45 degrees.
FRIDAY: Mostly sunny, breezy and warmer. Southwest winds 10 to 20 mph. High 49 degrees.
