An AIR QUALITY ALERT continues for southwest Montana into at least Tuesday afternoon.
After Friday's windstorm, wildfires came back to life emitting smoke that produced bad air quality for a lot of the state. Wildfire smoke will continue to be an issue as the fires burning in Montana and Idaho have not seen any rain. Warm, dry, and occasionally windy conditions will keep the fires active. Tuesday will be a mostly sunny, dry and warm day. Southwest wind will increase across the plains and over the Continental Divide up to 20mph. Wind will be light in the valleys, allowing wildfire smoke to build and persist. Highs will be in the 70s to around 80. Wednesday will be partly cloudy with warm and dry conditions again. Highs will be in the 70s and low 80s. The wind will be stronger across the plains. A weak cold front will pass through on Wednesday night. The flow will switch around to the northwest that hopefully should push some of the wildfire smoke out. Highs will be cooler down in the 60s for Thursday. Skies will be partly to mostly cloudy. Even with all of the clouds there will not be much if any moisture. Friday will be partly to mostly cloudy with highs again in the 60s. This weekend will be mostly sunny, dry, mild and windier across the plains. Saturday will be mostly sunny with highs in the 60s to around 70. Sunday will be warmer with highs in the 70s. The unusually warm and dry pattern may continue through the middle of next week. As long as this weather holds, the fire danger and smoke will be a problem.
Have a good day,
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
