Low pressure is producing widespread thunderstorms and rain that is slowing fire activity and cleaning up the air quality. The air quality deteriorated late on Labor Day weekend as hot, dry air allowed most wildfires to have significant growth. As the fires in Montana and Idaho actively burned, there was a significant amount of smoke that created unhealthy air conditions. This storm system is temporarily helping to slow the fire behavior and clean out the smoke. However, more significant rain and colder temperatures are needed across the Montana and Idaho wildfires to get us closer to the end of this year's fire season. Basically, it's not over. Showers and a few thunderstorms will continue tonight into early Wednesday morning. Air quality should be good for most of the state. A weak cold front will drop south out of Canada during the day on Wednesday with just an isolated shower or thunderstorm along it. This front will help to suppress the wildfire smoke down to the south. Besides an isolated thunderstorm, most of the state will be mostly sunny with highs in the 70s and 80s. Thursday will be another nice day with clean air and warm temperatures as high pressure moves in. Highs will top out in the 70s and 80s for most of the state under sunny skies. If you like the weather over Labor Day, you'll probably like the weather for this upcoming weekend. Temperatures will warm up again reaching the 80s to low 90s under sunny skies. However, as the flow turns to the southwest, wildfire smoke will likely increase across the state. Hotter temperatures mean more fire activity and danger as well. Fire season is not over with yet, so please be careful. Otherwise, summer is not going away yet but it certainly is on borrowed time as we get further into September.
Have a great day,
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
