BILLINGS — It is another sunny, beautiful day in Billings. The only difference between Wednesday and Thursday is that the temperatures are just a little bit warmer.
The temperature in Billings Thursday afternoon was 77 degrees with a south wind at 6 mph. Around the rest of the state, the temps are mostly into the 70s out west.
Back east, we are in the low 80s in Jordan, Glendive and Williston, North Dakota.
Our thunderstorm outlook for Thursday does show a chance for some stray thunderstorms from western Montana to the central part of the state but not including Billings.
On Friday, we have a marginal risk of severe storms in the northwest corner of the state and a few stray storms beyond that.
The Doppler radar and satellite imagery does show a few scattered showers and thunderstorms firing up around the Beartooth Mountains.
However, the downsloping winds off those mountains will inhibit thunderstorms from moving into the Billings area.
The high-resolution forecast model bears that out as well. Although we could see some scattered showers and thunderstorms between Missoula and Great Falls Thursday.
We will see mostly sunny skies on Friday and most of Saturday, but the next system will be moving into the Idaho chimney by Saturday afternoon and night. This will put it into Billings just in time for Sunday's cool down.
We will stay in the 80s the rest of the afternoon and drop back down to the 50s overnight, then get back up into the upper 80s about 1:30 p.m. Friday.
We expect to top out at 93 degrees on Friday, 92 on Saturday, then drop back down to the 70s all through the middle part of next week.
BILLINGS FORECAST
TONIGHT: Mostly clear and not as cold. Southwest winds 5 to 15 mph. Low 55 degrees.
FRIDAY: Sunny and hot. South winds 5 to 15 mph. High 93 degrees.
SATURDAY: Mostly sunny and continued hot. Southwest winds 5 to 15 mph. High 92 degrees.
SATURDAY NIGHT Mostly cloudy with a 30% chance for evening thunderstorms and more overnight. Low 58 degrees.
