Updated
11am MDT Thursday, August 25, 2016
Valid
through Noon MDT Friday, August 26, 2016
Smoke
Outlook
Air
quality is forecast to continue to remain in the Good to Moderate air quality
category across the state today with higher readings across Boise County,
Custer County, Bonneville County, and Teton County due to the proximity and
drainage of the Pioneer Fire as well as fires in western Wyoming. Current elevated DEQ monitors include Nampa,
Garden Valley, Juliaetta, Potlatch, St. Maries, Pinehurst, and The Coeur
d’Alene monitor in Plummer which are all currently reading in the Moderate
Category. Franklin is currently in the
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Category.
A weak upper
level trough will provide continued northeast to northwest winds with cooler
temperatures. Surface wind speeds will
range between 5-15 mph. Surface wind
direction will be from the west-northwest with north-northeast winds across
much of northern Idaho. Skies will be
sunny to mostly sunny all day with mostly cloudy skies over the extreme
northern Panhandle where there is a slight chance for isolated thunderstorms
this afternoon. There will also be a
chance for scattered thunderstorms across the Bitterroots and along the
Continental Divide this afternoon. Mixing
heights will range from 3,000-11,000 feet AGL.
Transport wind speed will be between 5-10 mph and be from the northwest
to north-northeast. Ventilation is
forecast to be POOR in the morning and GOOD in the afternoon. Inversions are expected to break between
10am-12noon.
Smoke from the Pioneer Fire will affect the
Ketchum area and southwest into the Mountain Home area. This afternoon, a northwest to west wind will
provide some clearing out of the Snake River Plain with impacts confined to
mainly east of Mountain Home and east through much of the Upper Snake. Continued impacts into the Idaho Falls,
Rexburg, Teton Valley, and Island Park area and south to Soda Springs this
morning will lift this afternoon. An
easterly wind across northern Idaho will remove impacts from fires in
Washington; however, it will bring morning smoke from Montana fires this
morning before lifting out this afternoon.
Brief, morning impacts should be expected across the Silver Valley,
Clearwater drainages, and Columbia Basin.
Tomorrow, a stronger westerly component will develop at the surface will
push smoke out of the Treasure Valley with impacts likely to be felt from
Mountain Home and East within the Snake River Plain.
DEQ Air Quality Forecast and Cautions:
- The Idaho Falls Regional Office has extended a Stage 1 Air Quality Forecast
and Caution for Teton, Bonneville, and Custer Counties. Valid
through Thursday, August 25th at 4:00 p.m.
- The Boise Regional Office has extended a Stage 1 Air Quality Forecast and Caution for Boise County. Valid through Thursday, August 25th at 3:00 p.m.
The USFS
installed monitors near Stanley, Idaho, Garden Valley, Idaho, Centerville,
Idaho, and Lowman, Idaho. Idaho DEQ has installed temporary monitors in
Fairfield and Boise (Garden City), Idaho. The information can be found at http://smoke.airfire.org/monitoringReport/#/?date=LATEST&productType=plotTable.
·
Stanley, ID monitor is Stanley-Idaho 75
·
Lowman, ID monitor is Lowman-Jolene Drive
·
Garden Valley, ID monitor is Garden Valley-Babcock Lane
·
Centerville, ID monitor is Idaho City-Grimes Pass Road
·
Fairfield, ID monitor is Fairfield-Soldier Road
·
Boise, ID
monitor is Garden City-Alworth Street
Smoke forecasts are dependent on predicted fire growth and weather. If conditions change unexpectedly, impacts could occur. When visibility starts to go below 5 miles, sensitive groups should minimize outdoor activities. Everyone else should minimize prolonged or physical activity outdoors. Visit the Idaho Smoke Blog for more information at http://idsmoke.blogspot.com/
Your eyes are your best tools to determine if it’s safe to be outside. Even if you smell smoke, the air quality may still be good.
AQI Category
Visibility (miles)
Good
11+
Moderate
6-10
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
3-5
Unhealthy
1½ -2¾
Very Unhealthy
1-1¼
Hazardous
Less than 1
How to estimate air quality based on visibility for areas without an air quality monitor or airport visibility estimate:
a. Face away from the sun.
b. Determine the limit of your visible range by looking for targets at known distances (miles).
c. Visible range is when an object you can easily see in the distance disappears.
d. Use the visibility values above to determine the local wildfire smoke category.
Updated
11am MDT Thursday, August 25, 2016
Valid
through Noon MDT Friday, August 26, 2016
Smoke
Outlook
Air
quality is forecast to continue to remain in the Good to Moderate air quality
category across the state today with higher readings across Boise County,
Custer County, Bonneville County, and Teton County due to the proximity and
drainage of the Pioneer Fire as well as fires in western Wyoming. Current elevated DEQ monitors include Nampa,
Garden Valley, Juliaetta, Potlatch, St. Maries, Pinehurst, and The Coeur
d’Alene monitor in Plummer which are all currently reading in the Moderate
Category. Franklin is currently in the
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Category.
A weak upper
level trough will provide continued northeast to northwest winds with cooler
temperatures. Surface wind speeds will
range between 5-15 mph. Surface wind
direction will be from the west-northwest with north-northeast winds across
much of northern Idaho. Skies will be
sunny to mostly sunny all day with mostly cloudy skies over the extreme
northern Panhandle where there is a slight chance for isolated thunderstorms
this afternoon. There will also be a
chance for scattered thunderstorms across the Bitterroots and along the
Continental Divide this afternoon. Mixing
heights will range from 3,000-11,000 feet AGL.
Transport wind speed will be between 5-10 mph and be from the northwest
to north-northeast. Ventilation is
forecast to be POOR in the morning and GOOD in the afternoon. Inversions are expected to break between
10am-12noon.
DEQ Air Quality Forecast and Cautions:
- The Idaho Falls Regional Office has extended a Stage 1 Air Quality Forecast
and Caution for Teton, Bonneville, and Custer Counties. Valid
through Thursday, August 25th at 4:00 p.m.
- The Boise Regional Office has extended a Stage 1 Air Quality Forecast and Caution for Boise County. Valid through Thursday, August 25th at 3:00 p.m.
The USFS
installed monitors near Stanley, Idaho, Garden Valley, Idaho, Centerville,
Idaho, and Lowman, Idaho. Idaho DEQ has installed temporary monitors in
Fairfield and Boise (Garden City), Idaho. The information can be found at http://smoke.airfire.org/monitoringReport/#/?date=LATEST&productType=plotTable.
·
Stanley, ID monitor is Stanley-Idaho 75
·
Lowman, ID monitor is Lowman-Jolene Drive
·
Garden Valley, ID monitor is Garden Valley-Babcock Lane
·
Centerville, ID monitor is Idaho City-Grimes Pass Road
·
Fairfield, ID monitor is Fairfield-Soldier Road
·
Boise, ID
monitor is Garden City-Alworth Street
AQI Category
|
Visibility (miles)
|
Good
|
11+
|
Moderate
|
6-10
|
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
|
3-5
|
Unhealthy
|
1½ -2¾
|
Very Unhealthy
|
1-1¼
|
Hazardous
|
Less than 1
|
How to estimate air quality based on visibility for areas without an air quality monitor or airport visibility estimate:
a. Face away from the sun.
b. Determine the limit of your visible range by looking for targets at known distances (miles).
c. Visible range is when an object you can easily see in the distance disappears.
d. Use the visibility values above to determine the local wildfire smoke category.
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