FXUS65 KBYZ 201207 AFDBYZ Area Forecast Discussion...Updated National Weather Service Billings MT 607 AM MDT Fri Mar 20 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Warm, dry, and breezy conditions continue into Saturday. Daily record high temperatures possible during this time. - Elevated wildland grassfire conditions exist into Saturday. - Cold front Saturday afternoon/evening brings a moderate chance of precipitation, slightly cooler temperatures, and breezy northerly winds to the area into Sunday morning. - Warmer and dry conditions return early next week ahead of another potential weather system Wednesday into Thursday. && .DISCUSSION... Today through Thursday... Unseasonably warm, dry and breezy conditions will exist today under the ridge of high pressure aloft. Look for highs to be in the mid 70s to lower 80s, challenging record highs. Winds will be the primary concern today, especially along the foothills of south-central Montana. Progged soundings indicate winds in the 700-600mb layer will be a bit weaker today than on Thursday by max mix down time. So gusts of 35 to 55 mph are expected over the foothills of south-central Montana. There is even a 25 to 50 percent chance of peak wind gusts hitting 60 mph for a brief period of time mid-day. With this, confidence in the strong winds is greatest around the Livingston area where funneling flow down the river valley should enhance the winds a bit. Therefore, a Wind Advisory has been issued for the Livingston area, in effect between 6AM to 6PM today. Elsewhere, gusts 25 to 45 mph are expected again today as deep mixing takes place by midday through the afternoon. As winds continue to dry fine fuels (grasses) and significantly dry out the boundary layer, afternoon relative humidity dropping as low as 10 to 25 percent will elevate grass fire weather concerns. Therefore, a Rangeland Fire Danger Statement is in place for today across the forecast area. Saturday will start out similar to today (warm, dry, and breezy) before shortwave energy moving across southern Canada breaks down the 500mb ridge and sends a cold front southward through Montana into Wyoming. The front is currently expected to reach southern Montana by late in the afternoon before pushing south and east into Wyoming and the Dakotas during the evening hours. Ahead of this front, breezy conditions and warm temps into the 70s will be common. Models and cross sections suggest a period of strong frontogenesis as the front slides south through the area Saturday evening. This will bring scattered to numerous rain showers to the lower elevations with snow showers above 7000 ft in the high country. Currently the best chance of at least a tenth of an inch of moisture (up to 50 percent) remains over central areas, and into the immediate foothills and mountains. Dynamic forcing shifts south late Saturday night. Behind the system, high temperatures on Sunday will be mainly in the 50s to near 60 degrees. Dry and warmer conditions return early next week as modest upper ridging builds over the region. Highs will recover back to 60s and lower 70s by midweek. Ensembles suggest more energy tracking across southern Canada into the high plains may lead to another frontal passage at some point Wednesday into Thursday. BT/Arends .AVIATION... 12z Discussion...Gusty westerly winds will develop once again today, strongest over the western foothills (KLVM, K6S0, and K3HT) where there may be a brief window of 50 knot wind gusts mid-day (overall moderate chance). Look for winds to then taper off during the late afternoon and evening today. Otherwise, VFR conditions will prevail. Arends && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS... Tdy Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu ------------------------------------------------------- BIL 081 050/074 038/061 035/064 036/068 046/076 035/052 0/N 02/W 71/U 00/B 01/E 12/W 32/W LVM 077 050/071 036/058 035/062 038/066 049/068 032/050 0/N 02/W 40/U 00/E 01/E 12/W 32/J HDN 083 046/075 038/060 032/063 035/068 044/078 033/053 0/N 01/B 81/U 00/B 00/E 12/W 33/W MLS 077 045/070 035/055 032/059 033/062 041/071 032/047 0/N 00/B 41/B 00/B 00/E 11/B 22/W 4BQ 080 045/077 039/056 034/060 036/066 044/077 034/050 0/N 00/U 51/B 00/B 00/B 01/B 22/W BHK 074 044/069 031/050 029/056 029/057 037/066 029/046 0/N 00/B 31/B 00/B 00/B 11/B 22/W SHR 081 046/080 036/056 031/062 033/068 043/076 031/050 0/U 00/B 62/W 10/B 00/B 01/B 33/W && .BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MT...Wind Advisory in effect until 6 PM MDT this evening FOR ZONE 65. WY...None. && $$ weather.gov/billings