BILLINGS — Welcome to the pretty part of the week in Billings. Just look at those mostly clear skies, with a few wispy high clouds and warmer temperatures.
At 1:30 p.m., the temperature in Billings had already climbed up to 45 degrees with a southwest wind at 20 mph giving us a windchill factor that feels like 37 degrees outside.
Around the rest of the state, the temps are mostly into the 30s and 40s, although Great Falls and Havre are already into the 50s.
The Doppler radar and satellite imagery show a generally dry scope with just a few wispy high clouds in the north, following the jet stream down to the south into Wyoming.
The high-resolution forecast model shows high pressure will continue to dominate Montana and Wyoming.
The rest of the day will bring mostly sunny skies and warmer temperatures.
By Friday, we are looking at another warm front sweeping across eastern Montana that will cook things up into the 60s.
However, that's tied to a cold front in southern Canada, and that cold front will drop all the way down through Billings by Saturday afternoon.
In fact, the snowfall estimate shows Billings could pick up 1 to 2 inches of snow through Saturday night and if you extend it into Tuesday afternoon, we could be seeing 2 to 4 inches of snow with heavier amounts around Cody and Sheridan.
Our temperatures will remain mostly to the 40s through tomorrow morning and then jump up into the 60s that afternoon.
Temperatures could top out at 66 on Friday and then the new cold front moves through Saturday, and the temps will drop back down to the 30s for highs and stay there through Tuesday.
By Wednesday we will pop back up to 40 degrees.
BILLINGS FORECAST
TONIGHT: Partly cloudy, breezy and not as cold. Southwest winds 15 to 25 mph. Low 38 degrees.
FRIDAY: Mostly sunny, windy and warmer. Southwest winds 15 to 25 mph. There is a 60 percent chance of numerous rain and snow showers overnight. High 66 degrees.
SATURDAY: Mostly cloudy with an 80 percent chance for rain and snow in the morning and again in the afternoon. It will be much cooler. Snow accumulations. North winds 10 to 20 mph. High 39 degrees.
