It is another typical summer day in Billings. The sun is out, the temperatures are going high and we are expecting them the top out in the low to mid 90s.
However, here in the early afternoon, Billings has only cooked up to 90 degrees with partly cloudy skies and a southwest wind at 6 mph.
At 1:30 p.m., Billings was the only regular reporting station with the temperature in the 90s. Everywhere else is only in the 80s.
The thunderstorm outlook for Thursday does show that most of Montana could see some isolated thunderstorms. Only the northwest corner of the state is expected to remain dry.
We could see a marginal risk of severe storms in northeastern Wyoming and the Black Hills of South Dakota.
The Doppler radar and satellite imagery tells the story Thursday. The jet stream is coming out of southwestern Montana, arching back toward Billings and then turning to the southeast.
Caught up in the jet stream are several minor weather disturbances, thunderstorms that are not expected to be severe.
The computer shows we might see some showers move into the Billings area overnight.
The high-resolution forecast model shows warm air moving in the southern Montana, but it looks like the showers will hold back at 7 p.m. and not make it to Billings until late.
Light to moderate rainfall is forecast to move into Billings and Yellowstone County after midnight and into Friday morning.
Later that morning, the showers will continue to move toward the northeast and away from Billings.
On, Friday evening, we could see a few widely scattered showers but nothing severe in Yellowstone County.
Thursday and Friday should be the last days of the really high temperatures.
After that, we expect the high temps for the day to be back into the 80s and stay there through the weekend and the middle part of next week.
BILLINGS FORECAST
TONIGHT: Mostly cloudy with a 20% chance for showers and thunderstorms in the evening and again overnight. Southwest winds 5 to 15 mph. Low 67 degrees.
FRIDAY: Partly sunny with a 30% chance for showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. West winds 5 to 15 mph. High 91 degrees.
SATURDAY: Mostly sunny with a 20% chance for showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. West winds 5 to 10 mph the morning shifting to the East in the afternoon. High 86 degrees.
