textproduct: Billings

KEY MESSAGES

- Cold front brings gusty northwest winds across the region today, along with snow showers and areas of blowing snow, especially east of Billings. Expect widespread wind gusts of 30-50 mph.

- 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 (10-25%) of light snow Thursday and Friday, and perhaps into Saturday. Less wind.

- Warming trend with a return of gusty foothills wind expected by the weekend.

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

AVIATION

18z Update...

Strong winds are expected across the region today with wind gusts in the 30-40 kt range. Winds decrease overnight while remaining breezy in the 20-30 kt range for the western foothills and near the Dakotas border. In addition, a cold front today will bring snow chances (20-100%) to locations east, southeast, south, and southwest of Billings through 21Z. Snow combined with strong winds will lead to blowing snow concerns and around 70% chance for IFR conditions at KBHK and KSHR. Snow will likely create mountain obscurations.

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 40-60% chance of wind gusts greater than 45 kt at KMLS, KBHK, and KSHR. Torgerson/RMS

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS

Tdy Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon ------------------------------------------------------- BIL 039 025/035 015/026 003/017 004/034 017/039 025/046 3/J 00/N 01/B 22/S 11/B 11/B 11/E LVM 035 022/034 017/029 005/024 005/036 020/041 026/045 2/J 00/B 01/B 11/B 11/U 11/B 11/B HDN 038 020/035 011/023 002/016 001/032 011/037 019/046 7/J 01/N 01/B 22/S 11/B 11/B 11/B MLS 030 018/029 007/013 908/006 906/021 004/027 014/039 7/J 21/N 01/E 11/B 11/B 11/B 11/B 4BQ 033 020/032 010/018 901/011 901/025 007/031 016/043 7/J 21/N 01/B 12/S 11/B 10/B 11/B BHK 027 012/023 000/008 918/000 914/017 000/024 009/034 8/J 22/J 01/E 11/B 11/B 11/B 11/B SHR 037 021/034 009/022 002/017 901/031 010/037 016/047 7/J 01/N 01/B 22/S 11/U 11/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.