Smoke expected to increase Thursday

Air quality forecasts today range from the Good to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups categories. 

Much of the smoke impacting Idaho has stayed aloft, keeping air quality relatively good at the surface. While this is expected to continue for eastern Idaho today thanks to lower temperatures, higher humidity, and scattered showers, significant smoke is coming into the southwest and central part of the state from fires in Oregon and California. Smoke concentrations at the surface are likely to increase this afternoon. This will begin to clear tonight, though central Idaho will still have periods of elevated impacts. Showers in North Idaho scoured the smoke away temporarily, but winds will shift and smoke from British Columbia and Washington will move in by Thursday morning. 

Smoke impacts are anticipated to increase again on Thursday as warm, dry conditions return, increasing smoke production and the likelihood of new fire starts upwind in eastern Oregon, Washington, and Northern California.

Video: HRRR-Smoke model initialized at 12Z (6am MDT); valid through 10am MDT Thursday. Near-surface smoke product indicates moderate impacts across southwest and central Idaho with lighter impacts in eastern Idaho today. North Idaho remains mostly clear until Thursday morning.