BILLINGS- It is hard to believe we had spotty sprinkles in the Billings area Thursday morning when you take a look outside in the early afternoon.
Those blue skies tell a different story and the temperatures getting into the mid-60s continue to create a beautiful day.
In fact, most of eastern Montana had temperatures into the 60s while out in the west the afternoon temps were into the 50s.
The Doppler radar and satellite imagery tells the reason: there are a number of mid- and high-level clouds already starting to move into western Montana, and they’re blocking the sun.
In contrast, sunny skies continue to hang out in eastern Montana, where the temperatures are in the 60s.
The high-resolution forecast model shows it’ll continue to be breezy across most of south-central and eastern Montana Thursday afternoon until high pressure starts moving into the region.
Once the high gets centered over Montana and Wyoming, the winds should start to relax.
However, they won’t relax for long because a new cold front starts moving into west-central Montana by Friday morning.
This next system should push through Billings later Friday night and bring with it spotty rain showers, cooler temperatures and windy conditions.
Thursday afternoon temperatures will continue to stay into the 60s and roll back down into the mid-40s in the morning and then jump back up into the upper 60s for a high on Friday.
BILLINGS FORECAST
TONIGHT: Partly cloudy and mild. West winds 10 to 20 mph. Low 42 degrees.
FRIDAY: Mostly cloudy, breezy and warm, with a 20 percent chance for rain showers overnight. West winds 15 to 25 mph. High 66 degrees.
SATURDAY: Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance for rain in the morning and windy. Then, look for skies becoming mostly sunny in the afternoon. West winds 15 to 25 mph in the morning becoming northwesterly 20 to 35 mph with gusts to 45 mph Saturday afternoon. High 61 degrees.
