Smoke and Haze - it is the Season!

The high-pressure center that has been seen over the past several days has moved over Texas from the Four Corners region, while a low-pressure center is moving over British Columbia. This setup will bring monsoonal moisture from the southwest across the state for the next few days.

Today’s AQI is forecasted to be Good to Moderate over most of the state with higher values possibly reaching the Unhealthy category near the Hayden and Elkhorn fires.

Video: RAP-NCEP-Smoke Near Surface Smoke initialized 14Z (8am MDT) 31 July 2023 shows smoke and haze over the Central Mountains from the Elkhorn Fire. The smoke and haze from the Central Idaho fires will start to drift and spread south, west, and east this afternoon. Smoke and haze from the York Fire is seen moving through Nevada and Utah, into East Idaho. Also, smoke and haze from the Oregon fires is seen drifting north-northeast over North Idaho.

Hazy days

Today’s AQI is forecasted to be Good to Moderate over most of the state with higher values possibly reaching the Unhealthy category near the Hayden fire. Smoke from fires in Oregon continue to produce haze over Southwestern and Central Idaho. Most of this smoke and haze will be concentrated over the Central Mountains and southwestern Idaho today but will drift northward on Saturday. Smoke from the Hayden fire and others in Central Idaho will drift into Montana today but will shift to southeast Idaho on Saturday night and east Idaho on Sunday. Higher concentrations of smoke will be seen around the Hayden fire.

Video: The RAP-NCEP-Smoke Near Surface Smoke model initialized at 8:00 a.m. MDT July28, 2023, shows smoke and haze over the Central Mountains and Southwestern Idaho from the Oregon fires, Hayden fire, and smaller fires in Central Idaho. The smoke and haze will slowly turn north this evening towards North Idaho while smoke from the Hayden Fire will drift eastward towards the Eastern Highlands.

Hazy skies in SW and Central Idaho

Today’s air quality is forecast to be Good to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups across the state. Fires in Oregon and local fires continue to create widespread haze and smoke over Southwestern and Central Idaho that will drift slowly south this evening. Higher concentrations of near surface smoke will be seen in the areas surrounding the Hayden Fire in Lemhi County.

Video: The RAP-NCEP-Smoke Near Surface Smoke model initialized at 7am MDT July 27, 2023 shows smoke and haze over the Central Mountains and Southwestern Idaho from the Oregon fires. Also shown are the smoke and haze from the Hayden Fire and smaller fires in Central Idaho. The smoke and haze will slowly make a turn towards the south this evening while still lingering over Southwestern and Central Idaho.

 

 Expect plenty of smoke nearby active fires. Most areas will be spared significant impacts through the day.

Yesterday’s 24hr AQI	GOOD to MODERATE
Current AQI	GOOD to MODERATE
Today’s forecast AQI	GOOD to UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS

RAP-NCEP-Smoke Near Surface Smoke initialized 14Z (8am MDT) 26 July 2023. 

The smoke and haze will linger over South and Central Idaho.

Smoke beginning to impact Idaho

Well, fire season seems to be kicking in locally and we are starting to see more smoke impacts here in Idaho, albeit minor so far.

Today's air quality is forecast to be in the Good to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups category. Smoke and haze is expected to linger over Central and Southern Idaho today with locally higher concentrations near the Hayden Fire. 

The RAP-NCEP-Smoke Near Surface Smoke model initialized 8am MDT July 25, 2023 smoke and haze over the Central Mountains and South Idaho from the Oregon fires. Also seen is the smoke and haze extending eastward towards East Idaho.