textproduct: Billings

KEY MESSAGES

- Scattered snow showers are coming to an end. Widespread wind gusts of 30-50 mph decrease this evening.

- Gusty winds late tonight and Wednesday with another fast-moving cold front. Gusts are likely to exceed 50 mph at some locations east of Billings. Localized blowing snow also possible.

- Colder with a slight chance (10-30%) of light snow Thursday into Saturday. Less wind.

- Warming trend with a return of gusty foothills wind expected over the weekend into early next week.

- A Severe Geomagnetic Storm Alert has been issued for today by the Space Weather Prediction Center. Visit www.swpc.noaa.gov for more information.

AVIATION

Snow is tapering off in the foothills south of KBIL this afternoon. Light snow will linger through this evening to the east of KBIL. 12z HREF shows a 20-60% chance of visibility less than 3 miles to the south and east of KMLS this evening, and then this probability decreases markedly by 06z Wednesday as the light snow tapers off in this area.

Winds gusting to 25-30 kt continue this afternoon, but then winds will decrease overnight for most of the area while remaining breezy in the 20-30 kt range for the western foothills and near the Dakotas border.

Another cold front will bring a wind shift to northwesterlies after 09z Wednesday with gusts to 30-45 kt. The strongest winds during this period will be in southeast MT and north central WY. There is a 45-80% chance of wind gusts greater than 45 kt at KMLS, KBHK, and KSHR. Winds will decrease from west to east from the midday to early evening hours. Torgerson/RMS

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS

Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue ----------------------------------------------------------- BIL 025/035 017/025 003/015 002/027 012/037 022/046 028/050 01/N 00/B 11/B 01/B 11/B 00/B 01/B LVM 019/034 014/028 005/021 005/029 015/038 023/044 028/046 00/B 00/B 11/B 00/B 11/B 01/B 11/B HDN 021/035 012/023 000/014 901/023 006/034 015/045 023/048 01/N 01/B 12/J 01/B 21/B 11/B 11/B MLS 019/029 007/013 910/004 908/014 903/022 010/038 022/040 00/N 00/E 00/B 01/B 11/B 01/B 01/B 4BQ 020/033 010/017 904/008 903/018 001/026 012/042 024/043 00/N 00/B 01/B 01/B 11/B 00/B 01/B BHK 013/027 000/008 921/000 913/011 908/018 003/033 016/034 21/Q 00/E 00/B 01/B 11/U 01/B 12/J SHR 017/034 007/022 902/015 903/023 003/033 012/044 020/046 01/N 01/B 12/J 11/B 21/B 00/B 11/B

BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

MT...Winter Weather Advisory in effect until 8 PM MST this evening FOR ZONES 32-33-36-37. Winter Weather Advisory in effect until 5 PM MST this afternoon FOR ZONES 58-138. WY...Winter Weather Advisory in effect until 5 PM MST this afternoon FOR ZONE 199.