BILLINGS — THROUGH TUESDAY: Powerful wind with gusts roaring through the 30s to 50s mph across much of the plains. If you're in the foothills west of Billings, gusts of 50 to 70 mph are making travel dangerous. Crosswinds are a real hazard on the roads, so give yourself extra time and extra room.
TUESDAY NIGHT: Overnight, winds will ease. Tuesday brings another round of strong winds to the western foothills, with upper-level winds surging back into the 60 to 70 knot range, and the stage is set for another punishing wind day. The foothills west of Billings carry a 40 to 70% chance of gusts topping 60 mph Tuesday. Widespread gusts in the 30s and 40s are expected across the lower elevations.
WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY: A strong upper-level ridge building over the region will send temperatures soaring close to breaking records. Wednesday kicks things off with highs in the 60s and low 70s. By Thursday and Friday, readings climb into the 70s and low 80s are possible by the end o the work week.
Along the US 191 corridor from Big Timber north to Harlowton, the wind persists with a 50 to 60% daily chance of gusts exceeding 50 mph Thursday through Saturday.
THE WEEKEND: An upper-level wave looks to flatten out the ridge over the weekend, bringing a brief cool-down to close out the week. The exact timing and strength of this system are still being refined, but expect a shift in the pattern by Saturday. Even so, above-average temperatures are still favored into the long-range.
