Same old, same old. Lots of smoke in the central portion of the state.

Today’s air quality is forecast to be in the Good to Unhealthy range. Areas near local and regional fires could experience brief periods of Very Unhealthy.

The fires in the Central Mountains of Idaho are generating areas of thick smoke and haze. Light to patchy smoke and haze are visible over North and South Idaho. This afternoon, southwesterly winds will nudge smoke into the East Central Mountains and North Idaho. Limited dispersion can be expected across portions of South and North Idaho this afternoon. Patchy smoke and haze from the Central Mountain fires will drift south into South and East Idaho later this evening. More light to patchy smoke and haze will linger over the Idaho Panhandle overnight. Thick smoke and haze will remain in portions of the Central Mountains from local fires. As temperatures decrease over night, lingering smoke can become trapped under surface temperature inversions and raise local AQI levels until the inversions break later the following morning, offering limited clearing. Afternoon winds tomorrow will become more southerly and push areas of smoke from the Central Mountains into the Idaho Panhandle.

HRRR-NCEP Near Surface Smoke model initialized at 6 a.m. MDT August 21, 2024 shows areas of smoke and haze from local fires in the Central Mountains extending eastward. Light to patchy smoke and haze are visible over portions of South and North Idaho.