textproduct: Billings

KEY MESSAGES

- Scattered showers and thunderstorms this afternoon and evening with main threats being wind gusts 50-60 mph, heavy rain and hail over southeast MT.

- Gusty west to southwest winds (30 to 45 mph) over the western foothills today.

- Stronger and colder storm system late Wednesday into Friday will bring significantly colder temperatures, high chances (50-90%) for precipitation (including low elevation snow Thursday night) and the potential for heavy mountain snow.

UPDATE

Low clouds and patchy fog have formed over portions of the area this morning, most widespread over the lower Yellowstone River Valley east of Forsyth. The low clouds/fog will bring local reductions in visibility into the morning hours, before burning off. Showers are starting to show up on radar over southern areas, and expect the showers to move north and east through the morning hours, becoming more widespread as a disturbance lifts into the region. The area remains on track to see showers and thunderstorms today into this evening, with strong storms possible over far SE MT. The SPC has a marginal risk for severe thunderstorms for far SE MT. Storms will be capable of strong gusty winds, heavy rainfall and small hail. Stay weather aware if you have outdoor plans. STP

AVIATION

VFR will prevail into the morning for most areas, with stratus and patchy fog over the east bringing areas of MVFR to IFR conditions from KMLS to KBHK down through K97M through roughly 16z. Patchy fog creating localized vsby reductions will burn off elsewhere through the morning hours.

Look for southwest to west winds to increase over the western foothills (KLVM, K6S0, and K3HT) this morning. Another round of isolated to scattered showers will move into the area today. Over far eastern Montana (around KMLS, KBHK, and K97M), isolated to scattered thunderstorms are forecast during the afternoon and evening as well, with the potential for a few stronger storms with gusty and erratic winds of 40-60 kts, heavy rainfall and small hail being the main threat. Local MVFR conditions are possible with the convection. STP

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS

Tdy Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun ------------------------------------------------------- BIL 062 041/066 042/067 039/046 026/047 028/058 035/068 3/W 21/U 01/E 59/W 53/J 11/U 01/B LVM 057 033/060 038/059 032/040 021/043 023/054 032/063 4/W 31/N 05/W 99/W 53/J 11/U 01/B HDN 062 039/067 037/070 037/050 025/047 024/059 032/070 5/W 21/B 11/B 49/W 64/J 21/U 11/U MLS 061 041/066 040/069 040/052 024/042 022/054 032/067 7/T 50/U 00/B 35/W 42/J 11/U 00/U 4BQ 062 038/064 039/070 042/058 024/041 023/052 030/067 4/T 11/U 00/U 14/W 63/J 11/U 00/U BHK 059 036/064 037/069 039/058 022/037 019/049 027/062 7/T 41/B 00/U 12/W 52/J 11/U 00/B SHR 059 032/061 033/066 037/051 021/041 020/052 027/065 5/W 12/W 00/B 29/T 86/J 21/U 11/U

BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

MT...None. WY...None.