A HEAT ADVISORY is in effect until Friday for central and north-central Montana.
An EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING is in effect for parts of Montana along the Idaho border.
This week is going to be HOT. Another heat wave will push temperatures up close to record highs for the end of June and beginning of July. Fortunately the heat will not come with excessively low humidity or strong wind, so the fire danger will not be as high as it could be. However, the drought has already created serious early season wildfire conditions. Tuesday will be a hot day with highs in the 90s to around 100. Skies will be clear and the wind will be light. Wednesday will be very similar with highs in the 90s and low 100s. Things will begin to change a bit on Thursday. The monster high pressure responsible for the heat will begin to wrap in some monsoon moisture. A few isolated thunderstorms will develop in western and central Montana by the afternoon. Highs will still be in the 90s to around 100. Friday will have more clouds and isolated thunderstorms that may cool temperatures down by a few degrees. Western and central Montana will have highs in the 90s, but eastern Montana could be as hot as 105. This weekend is the Independence Day Holiday. Scattered thunderstorms are likely both Saturday and Sunday. Highs will cool down into the 80s and 90s for highs. Thunderstorms will create lightning which may spark wildfire starts even though the thunderstorms could produce locally heavy rain. A few thunderstorms are possible on Monday as well, with temperatures going back up into the 90s for much of the state.
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
