Light to patchy smoke in North and Central Idaho today

Today's air quality is forecast to be GOOD to UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS, though areas near fires in the Central Mountains and North Idaho could experience brief periods of UNHEALTHY.

Over North Idaho, westerly winds will nudge light to patchy smoke and haze from eastern Washington through the area and into Montana with limited clearing this afternoon before returning overnight. Light to patchy smoke and haze from the Central Mountain fires and fires in Washington, Oregon, and California will linger this afternoon and overnight for Central Idaho. Smoke from the Garnet Fire in central California is passing aloft over South Idaho. Later this evening more light smoke and haze will drop near the surface of the Snake River Plain and linger overnight before clearing in the afternoon. 

As temperatures decrease tonight, lingering smoke and haze across Idaho will become trapped under surface temperature inversions and settle in valleys and low-lying areas which will raise local AQI levels until the inversions break later in the morning. 

NOAA GOES-West GeoColor (true color) visible satellite image captured at 15:41 UTC (9:41 a.m. MDT) on 8 September 2025 shows lifted smoke from the Garnet Fire in central California passing over the Snake River Plain. Light smoke and haze are seen in Central and North Idaho with clouds over eastern and Central Idaho.