GILLETTE, Wyo. — Storm chances over the weekend are shaping up with showers looking increasingly likely on Saturday night and Sunday.
First, though, there will be some continued summertime weather with sunny skies and winds from the west and south. Today’s forecast from the National Weather Service in Rapid City, South Dakota, pegs the high at about 79 degrees. Gillette should have a west wind of 10–13 mph turning north in the afternoon. Gusts could reach 21 mph. Tonight will be mostly clear with a low near 55.
With skies remaining so clear, haze from Canadian wildfires will continue to impact the area, particularly around the horizon. Smoke shouldn’t be nearly as thick as it’s been the past few days. An air quality alert for Gillette has been allowed to expire, but the National Weather Service in Rapid City warns that poor air quality will remain a concern for the area.
Friday will be much the same as today, albeit with a warmer south wind. Expect a high near 83 and winds of 9–15 mph. Gusts could reach 24 mph, especially as winds transition to come from the northwest in the afternoon. Overnight, skies will see more clouds and the low will be near 52.
Saturday will continue to see the mercury in the 70s, but don’t expect it to rise much above 70 itself as skies will be partly cloudy and moisture will work its way back into the atmosphere. Saturday night will see a 40% chance for thunderstorms rising to 60% as the early Sunday morning hours approach. The forecast low is 49.
Sunday is likely to be rainy most of the day. The high will top out near 65, if the forecast holds up. Rain is expected to continue overnight with the low falling to around 48.
