An AIR QUALITY ALERT is in effect for southwestern Montana until at least 8am Tuesday.
There are going to be areas of haze and smoke around through at least Wednesday, and this smoke is coming from wildfires burning in Idaho and southwestern Montana. The worst of the haze/smoke over the next couple of days is going to be in southern Montana, where the air quality at times may be unhealthy for sensitive groups. In northern Montana, the haze will increase over the next couple of days, and the air quality will generally be in the moderate or good category.
Outside of the haze/smoke, we are going to have clear skies tonight, mainly sunny skies tomorrow, and partly to mostly sunny skies (via increasing clouds) on Wednesday. Dry conditions are also expected tonight, tomorrow, and Wednesday. Tonight, it is going to be cool as lows are going to range from the upper 30s to the low 50s. It is then going to be warm tomorrow and Wednesday as highs are going to be in the mid to upper 70s and low to mid 80s.
Along the Rocky Mountain Front, it is going to be breezy tonight and on Wednesday as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 25 mph. Elsewhere, there is just going to be a light breeze tonight and it is going to be a little breezy on Wednesday as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 5 and 20 mph. For tomorrow, gusty winds are expected along the Rocky Mountain Front as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 15 and 30 mph, and wind gusts up to 50 mph are possible. East of the Rocky Mountain Front, it is going to be breezy in some areas tomorrow as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 25 mph, and wind gusts up to 40 mph are possible.
We are then going to have mostly cloudy to overcast skies on Thursday and partly cloudy skies on Friday as a couple disturbances pass through our area. A couple stray showers are possible on these two days, but most locations will continue to remain dry. It is also going to be cooler on these two days than it is going to be tomorrow and Wednesday as highs are going to be in the 60s and low 70s. There is also not going to be much wind around on these two days.
For this weekend, we are going to have mostly sunny skies (via decreasing clouds) on Saturday and lots of sunshine on Sunday as an upper-level ridge is going to be in control of our weather. It is also going to be dry and a little breezy this weekend as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 5 and 20 mph. The temperatures are also going to warm up some between Saturday and Sunday as highs on Saturday are going to be in the 60s and upper 50s and highs on Sunday are going to be in the upper 60s and low to mid 70s.
Sunny skies, mainly dry conditions, and warm temperatures (highs in the mid to upper 70s and low 80s) are then expected on Monday as an upper-level ridge remains in control of our weather. It is also going to be breezy on Monday as sustained wind speeds are going to be between 10 and 20 mph.
