Highest smoke impacts near Salmon

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

A zonal flow pattern has shifted monsoon moisture into the region and is allowing convective storms to develop across Oregon and southwestern Idaho. These storms will continue to develop throughout the day primarily over the elevated terrain surrounding the Snake River Plain, but it’s possible the occasional storm leaks into the lower elevations. These storms have the capacity to develop locally strong gusty outflow winds up to 30 mph. Slow moving storms will also offer plenty of rainfall beneath them. Elsewhere, surface winds will be between 10-15 mph from the west-southwest over northern Idaho and eastern Idaho while northwest-west winds will be present over the Lower Snake River Plain at 5-10 mph. 

Smoke will continue to affect the Central Idaho Mountains the greatest today with regional smoke tracking into the state from the west-southwest. Several distinct events will develop today. First, we will continue to see higher impacts in the Salmon area with smoke aloft transiting over the Upper Snake River Plain from Pocatello to Island Park and east into Wyoming. This smoke will become more concentrated late tonight and early tomorrow morning within the drainages of the Upper Salmon, Big and Little Lost, and Lemhi into the Upper Snake River Plain. This smoke will lift and track to the west between 10-11am tomorrow. Over the same time, regional smoke from northern California will infiltrate southern and eastern Oregon into southwest Idaho. This smoke is expected stay aloft with brief periods of increased readings and visible haze. This smoke reaches as far east as Mountain Home today before the sun sets. Finally, expect hazy conditions within the drainages of Brownlee and Hells Canyon tomorrow morning before improving by 11am.

Video: HRRR-Smoke Near Surface Smoke initialized 12Z 080222 shows smoke across the Central Idaho Mountains, Treasure and Magic Valley, and smoke from southern Canada periodically impacting the Panhandle.