BILLINGS — Some areas in eastern MT will wake up to dense fog Friday morning. Visibility could drop to less than a quarter of a mile. Use caution while commuting.
Areas close to the state line in far east MT could wake up to light snow Friday morning, along with patches of fog, while a tightening pressure gradient will bring gusty winds between 35–45 mph along the western foothills. These winds could easily increase to 50–60 mph along I-90 and Hwy 191 Friday night into Saturday as a Pacific system moves in.
The system could also bring a slight chance of light snow or even freezing rain in Rosebud County and areas east late Friday night into early Saturday, so watch out for slick roads while commuting, especially along I-94 east of Forsyth and Hwy 12 from Miles City to Baker.
The rest of the Q2 viewing area will be under the influence of downslope flow, keeping warmer-than-average temperatures in place, so any locations that do get precipitation can expect mainly light rain Friday into Saturday, although some snow could mix in during the overnight and early morning hours.
Daytime highs will range from the 20s and 30s east to 40s and 50s west on Friday before warming to the 40s and 50s across the entire area Saturday through Monday. A few areas could come close to reaching 60 degrees during that period.
A couple of weak disturbances could bring light hit-or-miss rain or snow showers Monday and Tuesday as temperatures cool a tad but still remain warmer than average, with highs mainly in the 40s and 50s, although a few locations could dip into the 30s in eastern MT.
A look ahead to the second half of next week suggests that high pressure will dominate the area and could lead to daytime highs reaching into the upper 50s to lower 60s Thursday and Friday under dry conditions. There is some uncertainty with this, but confidence is increasing.
If you are hopeful for a cooldown, some models are hinting at possible changes by the middle of February, but it’s too early to say for sure at this point.
Miller Robson
Q2 Morning Meteorologist
miller.robson@ktvq.com
