Air Quality Advisory Remains in Effect for the Nez Perce Reservation

 

Long weekend of lingering smoke

Smoke will remain widespread across Idaho through Friday, with the heaviest concentrations in southwest Idaho, including the Treasure Valley, Owyhee Mountains, and West Central Mountains. Moderate smoke will continue across Central Idaho, while North and East Idaho gradually improve.

Friday night into Saturday, smoke will settle into valleys and low areas as temperature inversions strengthen, causing air quality to worsen. A cold front and stronger afternoon mixing should improve conditions Saturday afternoon. However, increasing winds Saturday evening may bring heavier smoke into southwest Idaho from Oregon and the Panhandle from Central Washington.

Smoke will linger across southwest Idaho through Monday, with limited improvement. The Treasure Valley and nearby valleys may see moderate smoke at times, while Central and East Idaho will see periods of light to moderate smoke. Additional smoke from British Columbia may reach the Panhandle Monday.

The highest AQI levels are expected in the Treasure Valley, where periods of UNHEALTHY air are possible, especially overnight and in the morning. Parts of the western Snake River Plain and West Central Mountains could briefly reach UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS.

NOAA GOES-West GeoColor (true color) visible satellite image captured at 15:21 UTC (9:21 a.m. MDT) on 31 July 2026 shows widespread areas of smoke are visible over Washington, Central Oregon, and most of Idaho.

Some improvement expected tomorrow

Last night, thick smoke blanketed most of Idaho, with the highest near-surface concentrations across southwestern Idaho. Near-surface smoke will remain widespread through Friday. The heaviest concentrations are expected across southwest Idaho, including the Treasure Valley, Owyhee Mountains, and portions of the West Central Mountains. Moderate smoke will persist across Central Idaho and North Idaho today, with improving conditions expected across much of eastern Idaho. 

Overnight, air quality will deteriorate in valleys and low-lying areas as smoke becomes trapped beneath surface temperature inversions. The highest AQI levels are expected across portions of the Treasure Valley, where periods of VERY UNHEALTHY air quality are possible. Elsewhere, the western portion of the Snake River Plain and West Central Mountains could experience brief periods of UNHEALTHY air quality.

Friday, central and eastern Idaho will gradually experience cleaner air, while southwest Idaho will remain under persistent moderate to heavy smoke. 

NOAA GOES-West GeoColor (true color) visible satellite image captured at 15:36 UTC (9:36 a.m. MDT) on 30 July 2026 shows widespread areas of smoke are visible over Washington, Central Oregon, and most of Idaho.

Some improvement possible for North and East Idaho this afternoon

Overnight, thick smoke continued to spread across Idaho, with the highest concentrations across South Idaho. Smoke will remain widespread through Thursday morning with the thickest smoke expected across the Treasure Valley, Owyhee Mountains, Central Mountains, and Central Idaho, with moderate to heavy smoke extending into the Snake River Plain and parts of North Idaho. 

Some improvement is expected Wednesday afternoon in the Panhandle, East Idaho, and parts of the Snake River Plain, as daytime mixing helps disperse smoke. 

Overnight, smoke will settle into valleys and low-lying areas as temperature inversions strengthen, causing air quality to worsen before improving again Thursday afternoon. 

The Treasure Valley could see periods of VERY UNHEALTHY air quality today, while the western Snake River Plain and West Central Mountains may experience brief periods of UNHEALTHY air quality.

NOAA GOES-West GeoColor (true color) visible satellite image captured at 15:41 UTC (9:41 a.m. MDT) on 29 July 2026 shows clouds moving in western Washington and Oregon with clouds over South Idaho. Widespread areas of smoke are visible over Washington, Central Oregon, and most of Idaho.

Thick smoke across western Snake River Plain

Overnight, thick smoke continued to spread across Idaho, with the highest concentrations across South Idaho. Smoke will remain widespread through Wednesday morning as wildfires in the Pacific Northwest continue to produce large amounts of smoke. The heaviest smoke is expected across the Treasure Valley, Owyhee Mountains, West Central Mountains, and Central Idaho, with moderate to heavy smoke extending into the Snake River Plain and parts of North Idaho.

 Some improvement is expected this afternoon as daytime mixing helps clear the air, mainly across the Panhandle and East Idaho. Overnight, smoke will settle into valleys and low-lying areas, causing air quality to worsen before conditions improve again Wednesday afternoon. 

The highest AQI is expected in parts of the Treasure Valley, where VERY UNHEALTHY air quality is possible. Parts of the western Snake River Plain and West Central Mountains could also see brief periods of UNHEALTHY air quality.

NOAA GOES-West GeoColor (true color) visible satellite image captured at 15:46 UTC (9:41 a.m. MDT) on 28 July 2026 shows clouds moving in western Washington and Oregon. Widespread areas of smoke are visible over Washington, Central Oregon, and most of Idaho.

Air Quality Advisory in Effect for 35 of 44 Idaho Counties

 

Whoa! Smoky skies across most of state!

Thick smoke spread across Idaho overnight, with the highest near-surface concentrations across South and Central Idaho. Smoke will remain widespread through Tuesday, with the heaviest concentrations expected across the Treasure Valley and Owyhee Mountains. Smoke will continue to spread across the Snake River Plain and Central Mountains, while moderate to heavy smoke persists across parts of North Idaho. Some improvement is expected across the Panhandle today as afternoon winds help disperse smoke. In East Idaho, easterly overnight winds should improve conditions before patchy smoke returns late Tuesday morning.

Tonight, cooler temperatures will trap lingering smoke in valleys and other low-lying areas, causing local AQI levels to increase until inversions break Tuesday morning. The highest AQI is expected across portions of the Treasure Valley, where VERY UNHEALTHY air quality is possible. Elsewhere, parts of the Snake River Plain and Clearwater Basin could see brief periods of UNHEALTHY air quality.

NOAA GOES-West GeoColor (true color) visible satellite image captured at 15:41 UTC (9:41 a.m. MDT) on 27 July 2026 shows clouds moving through East Idaho. Areas of smoke are visible over Washington, Central Oregon, and most of Idaho.

 

 

More smoke moved in overnight

Today, air quality is mostly forecast to be in the GOOD to UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS range.

Overnight, patchy smoke moved into the Clearwater Basin, Treasure Valley, and Panhandle. Light smoke remains across much of Idaho. Afternoon winds will help mix the air, but cooler temperatures tonight will trap smoke in valleys and low-lying areas until late morning. Air quality will be worst in parts of the Treasure Valley, Panhandle, and Clearwater Basin, where brief UNHEALTHY conditions are possible.

NOAA GOES-West GeoColor (true color) visible satellite image captured at 8:31 a.m. MDT on July 24, 2026 shows clouds moving through north Idaho. Areas of smoke are visible over Washington, Central Oregon, and portions of Idaho.

Hopeful for clearing on Friday

Today, air quality is forecast to be in the GOOD to UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS range. Overnight, the Treasure Valley could experience periods of UNHEALTHY.

Light to patchy smoke and haze will travel across Idaho today, sparing the most eastern portion of the state for the most part. Limited clearing is expected this afternoon before smoke and haze settles back overnight. Wind on Friday will help further clear smoke and haze across the state. 

NOAA GOES-West GeoColor (true color) visible satellite image captured at 8:31 a.m. MDT on July 23, 2026 shows clouds moving through north Idaho. Areas of smoke are visible over Washington, Central Oregon, and portions of Idaho.

Some clearing in the afternoon, higher AQI overnight

Air quality is forecast to be in the GOOD to UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS range across the state, though portions of the Treasure Valley may experience periods of UNHEALTHY overnight.

There are not many changes from yesterday's forecast. Oregon's fires are the main smoke contributors affecting South and Central Idaho while fires in Washington and British Columbia are impacting North and Central Idaho. Afternoon winds will help clear some of the smoke across the state but lingering smoke at nightfall will be trapped by inversions in valleys and low-lying areas. This trapped smoke will raise air quality index values overnight. 

NOAA GOES-West GeoColor (true color) visible satellite image captured at 9:46 a.m. MDT on July 22, 2026 shows clouds through the region. Areas of smoke are visible over Washington, Central Oregon, and portions of Idaho.

Limited clearing this afternoon

Air quality today is forecast to range mostly from Good to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The Treasure Valley may experience brief periods of Unhealthy. 

Expect limited clearing of smoke everywhere in the afternoon with increased mixing heights and wind speeds. Come night, however, any lingering smoke and haze will become trapped under surface temperature inversions and settle in valleys and low-lying areas, worsening air quality until those inversions break tomorrow morning. 

An Air Quality Advisory is still in place for Ada, Canyon, Gem, Payette, and Washington Counties. 

NOAA GOES-West GeoColor (true color) visible satellite image captured at 9:36 a.m. MDT on July 21, 2026 shows clouds passing over and areas of smoke visible over Washington, Central Oregon, and portions of Idaho.

Smoke has arrived!!

Air quality is forecast to be in the GOOD to UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS range today, with the worst air quality occurring overnight in the valleys of North and Central Idaho and the Treasure Valley, where it could reach UNHEALTHY.

Patchy smoke and haze will linger for North and Central Idaho today with limited clearing expected from afternoon winds and mixing. Patchy smoke and haze will also linger over the Treasure Valley with limited clearing expected from afternoon winds and mixing. As southerly winds build today, the patchy smoke and haze over the Magic Valley will clear. Light to patchy smoke and haze will drift south from the East Central Mountains and Montana into East Idaho later this evening. 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.

Air Quality Advisories are in place for all counties in central and north Idaho, as well as some southwest counties. Click here to see the most recent advisories in place. 

RRFS-CONUS Near Surface Smoke model initialized at July 20, 2026 5 a.m. MDT shows smoke and haze from Oregon and Washington drifting into North and Central Idaho, and the Treasure Valley. Light smoke and haze are seen drifting into East Idaho from the East Central Mountains and Montana.

Air Quality Advisory Issued for the Nez Perce Reservation