Still smoky in the Central Mountains; hazy elsewhere

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

The fires in the Central Mountains of Idaho are generating areas of thick smoke and haze and light to patchy smoke and haze are visible over North, South, and East Idaho. This afternoon, southwesterly winds will continue to nudge areas of smoke from the Central Mountains towards Montana. Light smoke and haze will move into the Palouse Basin from a local fire in Washington. While light smoke and haze will move into the Treasure Valley this evening from the fires in the Central Mountains. Limited dispersion can be expected across portions of the North and East Idaho this afternoon. Thick smoke and haze will remain in portions of the Central Mountains from local fires. As the low-pressure system moves through the Central Mountains, the winds will shift from the northwest forcing patchy smoke and haze into the Snake River Plain tomorrow morning. 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.

HRRR-NCEP Near Surface Smoke model initialized at 6 a.m. MDT August 27, 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 North, South, and East Idaho.