An AIR QUALITY ALERT is in effect for northeastern Montana until at least 10am Friday.
A DENSE SMOKE ADVISORY is in effect for northeastern Montana until 6pm Friday.
Widespread haze and areas of smoke are expected to be around through at least this weekend as smoke from wildfires in Canada and the western U.S. continues to filter into Montana. The worst of the smoke over the next couple of days is going to be in northeastern Montana (Hill County eastward to the state line) where reduced visibility (less than 3 miles) and poor air quality (unhealthy for everyone) is expected at times (especially tonight and tomorrow). For everyone else, the air quality will generally be in the “moderate” category over the next few days, but at times, the air quality may be “unhealthy for sensitive groups”.
We are going to have partly to mostly cloudy skies tonight with scattered showers and thunderstorms around, mainly in locations west of a line from Havre to Lewistown to Billings, as a disturbance begins to impact our area. Also, lows tonight are going to be in the 50s in most locations.
For tomorrow, there are going to be scattered showers and thunderstorms around throughout the day in north-central Montana and there are going to be a few scattered showers and thunderstorms around the Helena area, generally during the PM hours and generally in the mountains, as a disturbance continues to impact our area. We are also going to have partly to mostly cloudy skies tomorrow in north-central Montana and partly to mostly sunny skies tomorrow around Helena. Tomorrow is also going to be the coolest day of the next week as highs are going to be in the 70s and 80s, and it will be a little breezy tomorrow along the Divide.
We are then going to have beautiful summer weather on Saturday (outside of the smoke and haze) as we are going to have lots of sunshine, mainly dry conditions (just a couple isolated showers and thunderstorms around in northeastern Montana), little to no wind, and seasonable temperatures as highs are going to be in the 80s.
On Sunday, we are going to have mostly sunny skies (via increasing clouds) with some isolated showers and thunderstorms around during the afternoon and evening, especially in the mountains, as a disturbance passes through our area. It is also going to be hot on Sunday as highs are going to be in the mid to upper 80s and low to mid 90s.
There are then going to be some scattered showers and thunderstorms around on Monday, mainly during the PM hours, as another disturbance passes through our area. We are also going to have partly cloudy to mostly sunny skies (via increasing clouds) and very warm to hot temperatures on Monday as highs are going to be in the mid to upper 80s and low to mid 90s.
On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, we are going to have mostly sunny skies with a few isolated showers and thunderstorms around, generally in the mountains and in locations east of I-15, as a few more disturbances pass through our area. It is also going to continue to be very warm to hot on these three days as highs are going to be in the 80s and 90s, with Tuesday being the hottest day.
