Billings, Mont. – Montana and northern Wyoming woke up to record-breaking cold Saturday morning, with temperatures more typical of late October than early September. Sheridan, Wyoming, plunged to 31 degrees, setting a new record low, while Baker, Montana, bottomed out at 30 degrees, also a record.
According to the National Weather Service in Billings, Livingston tied its previous record at 32 degrees, while Miles City dipped to 37, just two degrees above its 1943 benchmark. Billings registered 43 degrees, a sharp drop from recent mornings though not a record-breaker.
The sudden chill could affect late-summer ranching and agriculture across the High Plains. Growers are urged to monitor for potential frost damage, especially in low-lying areas. Residents in Sheridan County reported patchy frost on rooftops and windshields early Saturday, unusual for the first week of September.
Travelers heading across I-90 and U.S. 87 may also notice reduced visibility from early morning fog and frost as temperatures remain well below seasonal averages. The cold pattern is expected to linger into early next week, with no immediate warm-up in sight.
More advisories could be issued if overnight lows continue to trend downward.
