Wildfire Conditions Worsen Before Improving

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH has been issued for southwest Montana for Thursday afternoon and evening. Moisture in the form of thunderstorms is on the way. The Watch area will have thunderstorms, lightning strikes and erratic wind creating the potential for new fire starts. The good news is the storms will be wet, producing good rainfall. These storms will push toward the Capital late in the day. Highs will be toasty, well up in the 90s for much of the state. Friday a cool front will drop down from Canada interacting with Monsoon moisture coming up from the south. There will be more clouds, showers, cooler temperatures, a few thunderstorms, and higher humidity to help ease the fire danger. Saturday will be another mostly cloudy day with highs in the 70s and 80s with scattered showers and thunderstorms. Sunday has wet weather written all over it as well. The cooler temperatures, higher humidity and precipitation will help the fire situation. Likely the worst of the summer heat is behind us, but fire season will remain an issue through August into September.
Curtis Grevenitz