BILLINGS- One of the first things you notice when you look out on the horizon from Billings today is the smoke and haze off in the distance.
The temperature in Billings has already made it into the 80s in the early afternoon, and we could get into the upper 80s to low 90s before the day is done.
The smoke and haze are coming from the same place it did the last time it was so smoky. It’s coming from the fires in Northern California, southwest Oregon and western Montana.
Not only smoke but rain could come this way too. That is according to the thunderstorm outlook for Friday.
The Doppler radar and satellite imagery shows a few showers and thunderstorms are already starting to fire up over northern Wyoming and southwest Montana.
However, our high-resolution forecast model shows most of the rain will stay in Wyoming and in southwest Montana Friday afternoon until 6 p.m.
That is when south-central Montana could see spotty showers in the Beartooth and Pryor Mountain foothills.
On Saturday afternoon, a new cold front will hold together and sweep across the state and give the region another chance for afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
Our temps will be a bit cooler on Saturday after the passage of the cold front.
BILLINGS FORECAST
TONIGHT: Partly cloudy and mild. Southwest winds 5 to 15 mph. Low 59.
SATURDAY: Partly cloudy and a little cooler with a 20 percent chance of rain in the afternoon. West winds 5 to 15 mph. High 84.
SATURDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. West winds 5 to 15 mph. Low 54
SUNDAY: Mostly sunny and cooler. Northwest winds 5 to 15 mph. High 77.
