A HEAT ADVISORY continues for eastern Montana.
A FIRE WEATHER WATCH has been issued for Saturday for southwest Montana up to around Helena including the Horse Gulch Fire.
A series of days with scorching temperatures and a few record highs has fueled significant growth on the Horse Gulch Fire near Canyon Ferry. The fire size grew to over 7,500 acres and by the time you read this, that number likely will be obsolete. Hot temperatures, wind and low humidity are creating dangerous fire growth putting homes in danger. A shifting wind will be problematic over the next few days as well. A weak front will drop south on Friday cooling temperatures off by a few degrees but it will still be hot. Highs will be in the 90s. Wind shifting to the north in the afternoon could push the Horse Gulch Fire down toward Canyon Ferry and the Lake. A few isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening could bring some rain but also erratic wind. This weekend will have continued heat but isolated thunderstorms on Saturday and Sunday could provide some briefly cooler air with rainfall. These thunderstorms will not be dry, but lightning could reach out beyond the areas of rain that could spark new wildfires. Highs will still be in the 90s and low 100s on Saturday. Sunday will be slightly cooler as another front drops south with a stronger north wind. Highs will be in the 80s up on the Hi-Line, 90s for central and southern Montana. Monday will be mostly sunny with highs in the 80s to low 90s with light east wind. Tuesday will have isolated thunderstorms and highs in the 90s.
Be safe,
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
