It is another sunny, smoky and hazy type of day in Billings, only this time, it is starting to heat up too.
The temperature in Billings at 2 p.m. has already made its way into the mid-80s and just about everyone in the state is also into the 80s to low 90s.
The air quality up in the Northwest corner of the state seems to be getting worse. We currently have an air quality warning until 8 AM Thursday for Flathead Sanders and Lincoln Counties.
There the smoke is so thick and the particulates are so high that it is unhealthy to be there without respiratory filters.
The air quality in the Flathead valley, Thompson falls and Libby are all unhealthy and the rest of the state has moderate to good air quality until you get to Yellowstone Park which is also unhealthy.
The big weather story today is an upper level low that was over southeastern Montana, has now moved over the Black Hills of South Dakota taking the rainfall with it.
Our high resolution forecast model shows most of the showers will continue to move into the Dakotas.
Montana will be left with mostly sunny skies up until about 6 p.m. Then we see a few high clouds drift over the central part of the state.
Billings will enjoy mostly sunny skies again on Thursday, but a few high clouds and spotty showers will start moving in from the Southwest.
Our temperatures will slowly but surely start rising up into the upper 80s to low 90s for the next two or three days.
BILLINGS FORECAST
TONIGHT: Mostly clear with areas of smoke. East winds 5 to 10 mph this evening he coming southwesterly overnight. Low 58 degrees.
THURSDAY: Mostly sunny with areas of smoke and warmer. South winds 5 to 10 mph. High 93 degrees.
FRIDAY: Mostly sunny and continued hot. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph. High 94°.
