Patchy smoke lingering this evening and overnight

Winds will become calm this afternoon and allow patchy to thick smoke and haze to settle in over North Idaho this evening and linger overnight. Likewise in Central Idaho, patchy smoke and haze from the fires in the Central Mountains will settle into valleys and low-lying areas this evening and linger through the night with limited clearing in the afternoon. South Idaho will see light smoke and haze linger through the evening and overnight as well with limited clearing in the afternoon. The westerly winds will continue to nudge light smoke and haze towards Idaho from the central Oregon, eastern Washington and northern California fires. 

As temperatures decrease tonight, lingering smoke and haze can become trapped under surface temperature inversions and raise local AQI levels until the inversions break later in the morning. The highest AQI levels will be seen in the Central Mountains and the Clearwater Basin. Those areas could experience brief periods of UNHEALTHY. The rest of the state can expect air quality in the GOOD to UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS range. 

NOAA GOES-West GeoColor (true color) visible satellite image shows light to patchy smoke and haze across Idaho with a few clouds over the Snake River Plain and the Central Mountains. Thick smoke is seen emanating from the Emigrant Fire in west central Oregon that is drifting eastward towards the Treasure Valley.

Possibly increased smoke production this weekend in Central Idaho

With the local fires and the smoke moving into the region from Oregon and California, light to patchy smoke will linger over North and Central Idaho with limited clearing this afternoon before smoke returns overnight. As conditions dry out this weekend, look for smoke production to increase again in Central Idaho.

The westerly winds will continue to nudge light smoke and haze into South Idaho from the central Oregon and northern California fires. As temperatures decrease tonight, lingering smoke and haze can become trapped under surface temperature inversions and raise local AQI levels until the inversions break later in the morning. 

The highest AQI levels will be seen in the Central Mountains and the Clearwater Basin. Those areas could experience brief periods of UNHEALTHY.

NOAA GOES-West GeoColor (true color) visible satellite image captured at 15:21 UTC (9:21 a.m. MDT) on 29 August 2025 shows light to patchy smoke and haze across Idaho with a few clouds over the Snake River Plain and the Central Mountains. Fog is present in low-lying areas of the Clearwater Basin. Thick smoke is seen emanating from the Emigrant Fire in west central Oregon that is drifting eastward towards the Treasure Valley. Most of this smoke is aloft and not near the surface.

Air Quality Advisory Remains in Effect for the Nez Perce Reservation

 

Rain --> Less Smoke --> Better Air?

Today's air quality is forecast to be Good to Moderate across most of the state while Central Idaho may see periods of Unhealthy.

Smoke production across the Central Mountains has been dampened by recent precipitation while the westerly winds are transporting smoke and haze from western Oregon and northern California into Idaho. 

Light to patchy smoke will linger over North and Central Idaho with limited clearing this afternoon from precipitation and westerly winds before smoke returns overnight. 

The westerly winds will continue to nudge light smoke and haze into South Idaho from the central Oregon and northern California fires. 

Lingering smoke and haze can become trapped under surface temperature inversions as temperatures decrease tonight and raise local AQI levels until the inversions break tomorrow morning. 

NOAA GOES-West GeoColor (true color) visible satellite image captured at 15:41 UTC (9:41 a.m. MDT) on 28 August 2025

Still Smoky in Central Idaho

Today’s air quality is forecast to be Good to Moderate for most of the state while the highest AQI levels will be seen in the Central Mountains and Clearwater Basin. Those areas could experience brief periods of Very Unhealthy air quality.

The main smoke producer is the Island Creek 14 miles east of Elk City though several other fires in the East Central Mountains and Oregon, Montana, and Wyoming are contributing to the impacts. Expect limited smoke dispersion this afternoon before more smoke settles in overnight, getting trapped under surface temperature inversion and raising local AQI levels until the inversions break tomorrow morning.

Video Source: RRFS Near Surface Smoke model initialized at 5 a.m. MDT, August 26, 2025