Central Idaho Mountains continue to be impacted by smoke

Air quality forecasts for today are in the Good to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Category.

A quasi-stationary upper-level low pressure system off the Oregon coast will continue to compete with the 4-Corners High to steer south-southwest winds and monsoon moisture into Idaho. This will bring hot conditions to much of the state with a chance for showers along the border of OR/ID this afternoon and over the Central Idaho Mountains. This precipitation expands in coverage tomorrow. Light, terrain-driven winds will be from east with south-southeast winds over the prairies of central Idaho.  Look for locally northwest winds over the LC Valley. 

Smoke will continue to affect the Central Idaho Mountains the greatest this afternoon around 4pm. South-southwest winds aloft will shift smoke to the north along the Bitterroot range and as far north as the Cabinet Mountains. The Salmon area will see periods of increased smoke in response to more active fire conditions. Hazy conditions will develop at times over the Panhandle in response to fires in southern Canada.

Video: HRRR-Smoke Vertically Integrated Smoke initialized at 12Z (06am MDT) and valid at 6pm MDT 08/09 shows dense smoke over central Idaho along the ID/MT border and around Salmon.