FXUS65 KBYZ 041831 AFDBYZ Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Billings MT 1231 PM MDT Mon May 4 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Cold front brings cooler temperatures, breezy north winds and scattered showers today. - Cool temperatures continue through Tuesday (highs upper 40s to mid 50s). Low temperatures tonight and Tuesday night in the upper 20s to middle 30s. - Light snow accumulations in the mountains through Tuesday. Rain/snow mix possible (moderate chance) over the foothills and higher hills tonight into Tuesday. && .DISCUSSION... Today through Sunday... A low pressure system in south central Canada is allowing for northwesterly flow over the region, bringing waves of energy with it. As a result, behind the frontal passage last night, scattered showers have moved into the area. Precipitation across the lower elevations is expected to be minimal, with amounts having trended up in the Beartooth/Absaroka mountains. The high resolution ensemble (HREF) is showing a spread of 0.6 to 1 inches of liquid in the highest north facing slopes through Tuesday night, resulting in around 8-10 inches in the forecast. Use caution and plan ahead if you have recreation plans in the high country. Breezy conditions will continue for areas south of Billings as well as southeast MT with north wind gusts from 20-35 mph. Additional isolated to scattered showers will be possible again Tuesday as another northerly push of mid level energy moves through. Again not expecting much in the way of accumulation with likely less than and tenth of an inch for lower elevations. Locations across the foothills southwest of Billings will likely see a rain/snow mix and possible transition to all snow. Model soundings show a transition to snow overnight with agreement on northerly low levels winds for upsloping, but some are signaling shallow moisture, so the best accumulations will be in the higher elevations. These areas remain at about a 30% chance for at least an inch of snow through Tuesday night. Looking forward into Thursday and late Friday into Saturday, ensembles are signaling additional waves with some weak afternoon instability Thursday through Saturday. With this, small chances (15-25%) for a thunderstorm is in the forecast for these days. Morning low temperatures Tuesday and Wednesday will be in the mid 20s to mid 35s across the region. Take the necessary precautions to protect any temperature sensitive plants. Highs this week will be in the 40s/50s Tuesday, warming through the week into the 60s and low 70s by the weekend. TS .AVIATION... 18z Discussion...Brisk northwesterly to northeasterly winds with gusts mainly in the teens and 20s knots will impact the region today. With this, light rain and snow showers will sink south through the area into tonight. While VFR conditions will prevail over much of the area, there is a moderate to high chance of seeing MVFR to brief IFR conditions is this evening into tonight over the north facing slopes of the mountains in southern Montana and northern Wyoming (Chance of MVFR or lower conditions is 80 percent at KRED, 60 percent at KLVM, and 40 percent at KSHR). The mountains will also become obscured in rain/snow showers this evening into tonight. Another round of scattered rain and snow showers under scattered to broken low to mid-level clouds is forecast Tuesday. With this, occasional MVFR conditions are possible (moderate chance). Arends && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS... Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon ----------------------------------------------------------- BIL 035/051 030/063 044/069 045/070 048/065 044/069 046/078 24/W 10/U 17/T 31/B 25/T 32/T 01/B LVM 032/049 025/062 042/069 043/070 043/060 039/069 044/076 36/T 20/U 17/T 21/E 25/W 31/B 01/B HDN 032/052 028/062 038/069 042/071 046/067 041/070 042/078 14/W 00/U 17/T 42/W 35/T 42/W 11/B MLS 032/050 026/058 034/067 041/070 047/068 041/069 043/076 12/W 00/U 03/W 21/U 24/W 21/B 11/B 4BQ 032/049 027/056 034/065 041/068 045/065 041/066 042/074 12/W 00/U 03/W 31/B 24/T 31/B 10/U BHK 027/047 023/054 029/063 036/069 041/066 036/065 039/071 12/J 00/U 01/B 20/U 13/W 21/B 11/B SHR 029/047 023/055 033/065 039/066 042/061 038/064 039/072 35/W 21/U 07/T 42/T 36/T 43/T 11/U && .BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MT...None. WY...None. && $$ weather.gov/billings