473
FXUS65 KBYZ 301839
AFDBYZ

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Billings MT
1239 PM MDT Wed Sep 30 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Cooler with periodic light showers over the plains late tonight
  through Thursday night.

- Dry and mild Friday through much of next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

Through next Wednesday...

Cold front continues to drop thru northern MT and a shift to
northerly winds will reach Judith Gap-Rock Springs soon. Billings
will see NE winds by late afternoon. There is currently a west-
to-east oriented post-frontal band of light showers across the
high line. Mid level frontogenesis in this area will sag southward
tonight, and as additional weak shortwaves traverse the zonal flow
aloft, ripples of light showers are anticipated over our north
and east late tonight through Thursday night. What we are seeing
to our north gives a bit more confidence here. Precip amounts over
the next 36 hours will be light, ranging from a trace to maybe a
tenth north and east of Billings. Backdoor cooling and increasing
cloud cover will hold temps in the mid 50s to mid 60s Thursday.
The next couple of nights will be cooler but not cold.

Brief flat ridging and downslope warming pushes temps back to the
70s Friday, with breezy/dry westerly winds. The next Canadian
front looks dry but will bring modestly cooler air Friday night
and Saturday.

Sunday through the middle of next week is looking warm & dry
underneath strong western CONUS ridge w/ above normal heights.
High temps in the mid 60s to mid 70s this weekend should warm to
the upper 70s to mid 80s Monday, which looks like the warmest day
of the next several days. Tuesday & Wednesday offer more model
uncertainty but there is a fair chance of another weak Canadian
front that will bring slight cooling. That said, there is high
confidence for above normal temps and dry conditions through the
first half of next week. It is likely that strong ridging keeps us
warm & dry through at least the end of next week.

JKL

.AVIATION...

The breezy west to northwesterly winds will shift to the north
and east late this afternoon into tonight as a cold front drops
through the region. While VFR conditions will prevail, mid level
cloud cover is expected to increase into tonight across much of
the area. Near the mountains, low level clouds (MVFR ceilings) are
possible, which may result in some mountain obscurations. While
the chance is low, occasional light rain, or sprinkles, cannot be
ruled out this evening into Thursday. LA

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS...

    Thu     Fri     Sat     Sun     Mon     Tue     Wed
-----------------------------------------------------------
BIL 046/063 042/076 049/069 045/071 049/081 054/078 048/075
    11/B    00/U    00/U    00/U    00/U    00/U    00/U
LVM 040/067 039/079 046/073 041/076 047/082 049/077 046/077
    00/B    10/U    00/U    00/U    00/B    00/U    00/U
HDN 045/064 041/075 046/071 043/074 045/082 051/079 046/077
    11/B    00/U    00/U    00/U    00/U    00/U    00/U
MLS 046/057 042/072 049/068 045/070 049/079 053/077 048/074
    12/W    00/B    00/U    00/U    00/U    00/U    00/U
4BQ 049/062 044/075 050/070 047/072 051/081 055/078 049/076
    12/W    20/U    01/U    00/U    00/U    00/U    00/U
BHK 043/057 037/071 045/069 040/068 045/079 051/077 045/074
    13/W    00/B    00/U    00/U    00/U    00/U    00/U
SHR 042/067 039/076 045/071 043/074 046/083 050/078 046/077
    11/B    10/U    00/U    00/U    00/U    00/U    00/U

&&

.BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...None.
WY...None.

&&

$$
weather.gov/billings