Thanks to the cold front and a change in direction of high atmospheric winds, air quality has finally improved across much of the northern half of Montana. The Flathead Valley, Swan Valley, Great Falls, and east of the Rocky Mountain Front are finally seeing GOOD air quality and higher visibility. Atmospheric winds are blowing from the west, and with little to no fires upwind of this half of Montana, only mostly clear air is blowing in. There is, however, a new fire in Glacier National Park, but only some parts of the east side of the park may see a decrease in visibility. Unfortunately, air quality is not good everywhere, because the southern half of Montana is still downwind of all the smoke. Air quality has improved in Missoula, but visibility is still obscured by some high smoke. The Bitterroot Valley, once again, has UNHEALTHY air, although hourly particulate concentrations have been dropping this morning to more MODERATE levels. Air quality in Butte has become UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS this morning, as smoke blows east over southwestern Montana. Similar conditions exist to the south and west of Butte. Just in the last few hours this morning, air quality has become MODERATE in the Helena Valley. Smoke has cleared out of Bozeman, which is now GOOD, but smoke is accumulating around the Livingston area, where air quality is MODERATE to UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS. Almost all other locations across eastern Montana are GOOD with some local regions of MODERATE smoke where haze is apparent.
Red Flag Warnings are over almost the entire state today, except all of the western counties, until 9:00 tonight. We are expecting more gusty winds and very low relative humidities. High atmospheric winds will continue to blow from the west all day, and with most of the fires in the region in central and southern Idaho, as well as some Montana fires in the southern half of the state, the southern half of Montana will continue to see all of the smoke today. By late afternoon and evening, smoke will be the heaviest. The Bitterroot Valley and near Livingston will probably see the heaviest smoke today. Similar conditions will be expected tomorrow, as the wind pattern will stay relatively the same. However, the good news is that winds will not be as strong, and relative humidities will not be quite as low, so fire behavior should not be as extreme tomorrow as it may be later today. By Tuesday, a weather system is forecasted to pass over the Northern Rockies. Winds will start to pick up again Tuesday into Wednesday, which may increase fire activity again. Winds should continue to keep northern Montana mostly clear. A stronger weather system and cold front are expected on Thursday. There may even be a chance of some beneficial rain, though it will be limited. Temperatures will become cooler than normal on Thursday and Friday, but it will be short-lived as a weekend warm-up ushers in. Atmospheric winds will start to blow from the southwest, so areas of northwestern and north-central Montana that may be clear all week could start to see more smoke and decreasing air quality this weekend. |
See "Today's Report and Forecast" (left). |