BILLINGS- For many, Montana Fair is synonymous with summer.
The other thing we can usually bank on during the summer here in Billings is hot, dry conditions.
And it appears that with the opening weekend of Montana Fair upon us, we are going to see those conditions in full force.
Right now we are forecasting triple-digit temperatures on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with the potential to break all-time heat records on Friday and Saturday.
The National Weather Service has already issued an excessive heat warning that will go into effect at noon on Friday and last until midnight on Saturday and if the triple-digit forecast persists I would expect that warning to be extended through Sunday.
If you are heading to the fairgrounds in these conditions, the weather is something you will need to prepare for, especially if you are planning to bring young children, who are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses.
Some numbers to put the expected Montana Fair heatwave in perspective. The hottest day at the fair in the last five years was a 99 degree day on Aug. 14, 2015 and the average high temperature during the dates of the fair in that same time frame is 86.9 degrees.
If everything goes as currently forecast, we will see the three hottest days at the fair in the last five years and an average fair day temperature that is more than five degrees warmer than the average of the last five years shown above. The rest of data is in the chart below.
| Year | Fair Dates | High Temp (Date) | Low Temp (Date) | Average Temp |
| 2017 | August 11-19 | 92° (18) | 73° (14) | 84.8° |
| 2016 | August 12-20 | 93° (17) | 69° (19) | 84.1° |
| 2015 | August 7-15 | 99° (14) | 68° (8) | 88.8° |
| 2014 | August 8-16 | 98° (12) | 77° (14) | 88.8° |
| 2013 | August 9-17 | 93° (16) | 79° (9) | 88.1° |
Stay tuned to Q2 for all your Montana Fair forecasts or download the Q2 weather app.
