BILLINGS — We have gotten used to the warm and dry conditions to start the week. But expect this sharp change in weather Wednesday night and Thursday.

Nighttime temperatures will be between 30 and 40 degrees every morning through Thursday. Expect sunny afternoons with highs in the 70s to lows in the 80s on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Readings will be warm enough to challenge a few record highs, especially in Livingston, MT and Sheridan, WY, every day through the first half of the week. Expect sunny days and a bit of wind every day through Wednesday.

Late Wednesday, a cold front will bring much cooler and wetter conditions across the area. High temperatures will be in the 40s, 50s and 60s Thursday through the weekend.

Much of the region will recover. And precipitation from Wednesday night through Thursday. The mountains will pick up several inches of snow Wednesday night through Friday with a chance of eight inches or more in the Absaroka/Beartooth Mountains, as well as some snow in the Bighorn Mountains of northern Wyoming.

This could be a game changer for firefighters around the Elk Fire in Sheridan County, Wyoming. The chance of rain and snow will decrease on Friday, but temperatures will remain closer to seasonal averages.

There is still some disagreement about the analysis for later this week, so check back often for updates.