Smoke, smoke, and more smoke for Central Mountains folk

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

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 South and East Idaho. This afternoon, northerly winds will nudge areas of smoke from the Central Mountains into the Magic Valley, while the winds across the Snake River Plains will push the smoke eastward. By midafternoon, the transport winds will have a more westerly direction and the thick smoke from the Central Mountains will flow east towards Montana and East Idaho. Light smoke and haze will move into North Idaho from a local fire in Washington. Limited dispersion can be expected across portions of North and East Idaho this afternoon. Thick smoke and haze will remain in portions of the Central Mountains from local fires. Diurnal drainage winds will set back up tonight and areas of thick smoke and haze will return to portions of the Treasure and Magic Valleys. Light to patchy smoke and haze will linger across North and East Idaho overnight. Light morning northerly winds will continue to push the smoke and haze across South and East Idaho through tomorrow afternoon with limited dispersion for East Idaho. As temperatures decrease tonight, lingering smoke can become trapped under surface temperature inversions and raise local AQI levels until the inversions break later the in morning, offering limited clearing.

HRRR-NCEP Near Surface Smoke model initialized at 6 a.m. MDT August 28, 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 South, and East Idaho.