Smoke, Heat and Gusty Winds Raise Fire Risk Across Montana

Overview

• Wildfire smoke increased overnight and is expected to produce hazy skies and reduced visibility across western and central Montana on Thursday.
• Air-quality readings are in the moderate to unhealthy-for-sensitive-groups range, so people with lung disease, young children, and older adults should limit time outdoors.
• A Red Flag Warning covers portions of eastern Montana this afternoon and a Lake Wind Advisory is in effect for Fort Peck Lake because of low humidity and 10–20 mph sustained winds with higher gusts.
• High temperatures will stay in the 80s to mid-90s through next week with mostly dry conditions and only isolated mountain storm chances later in the period.
• Meteorologists say a persistent upper-level ridge and smoke from large Pacific Northwest fires are driving the pattern, so haze and elevated fire danger could persist until the ridge weakens or winds shift.