BILLINGS — THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING: Thursday evening bring the first wave of active weather as a cluster of showers and thunderstorms marches eastward from south-central Montana and north-central Wyoming. Southeast Montana has seen some clearing today, creating pockets of instability that could fuel isolated severe thunderstorms.
These high-based storms into early evening will be mainly wind producers, generating gusts of 40-50 mph that could cause tree damage and power outages.
FRIDAY: As temperatures climb into the 80s, the atmospheric conditions become prime for supercell thunderstorm development. Strong wind shear will support rotating storms capable of producing large hail and damaging wind gusts. The combination of ample moisture and instability could create heavy downpours that could lead to flash flooding in low-lying areas.
SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY: Another round of severe thunderstorms, with the greatest threat concentrated across the eastern half of the forecast area. Large hail and strong wind gusts remain the primary concerns, accompanied by heavy rainfall rates. The severe threat gradually shifts eastward as the weekend progresses.
Saturday night, snow levels plummet to 8,500-9,000 feet. Light snow accumulations up to an inch are possible above 9,000 feet through Sunday night.
Sunday sees a gradual improvement as westerly winds blow in drier air, limiting thunderstorm development. While scattered showers and storms remain possible, precipitation amounts will be much lighter.
MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY: Expect a steady warming and drying trend with Monday's highs ranging from the mid-60s to upper 70s in Billings, climbing to the 80s and possibly mid-90s by Thursday. This represents a return to more typical early summer weather patterns.
