Temps around Montana should hit 50 to 60s by weekend; lowland flooding possible (copy)

Brett French

BILLINGS — Break out your Bermuda shorts and Hawaiian shirts. Warmer weather is finally coming to the state. No April fooling.

By the end of this week, many Montanans could see temperatures climb into the 50s and 60s. By next week, Billings residents could see temps hit the high 60s or 70s. The probable outbreak of spring fever is forecast at 100%.

For the Billings area, temperatures climbing to 57 degrees or higher on Friday would end a streak of 155 consecutive days of temps 56 degrees or colder. The old record was 128 days set in the winter of 1977-78.

“We’re definitely overdue for some warmer days,” said Joe Lester of the Billings National Weather Service office.

With more snow falling in southern Montana on Tuesday, the warm temperatures could signal some lowland flooding. Yellowstone River-area residents should not be worried about a repeat of last June’s record-setting flood, at least not yet.

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“Last year was a very special case,” Lester said, with rain falling on high mountain snow that was already melting.

Unknown, however, is how that flood has reshaped channels on streams like Rock

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