Smoke Forecast for Saturday, May 20, 2023 9:00AM
An Air Quality Alert has been issued for Beaverhead, Big Horn, Blaine, Broadwater, Carbon, Carter, Cascade, Choteau, Custer, Daniels, Dawson, Deer Lodge, Fallon, Fergus, Flathead, Gallatin, Garfield, Glacier, Golden Valley, Granite, Hill, Jefferson, Judith Basin, Lake, Lewis and Clark, Liberty, Lincoln, Madison, McCone, Meagher, Mineral, Missoula, Musselshell, Park, Petroleum, Phillips, Pondera, Powder River, Powell, Prairie, Ravalli, Richland, Roosevelt, Rosebud, Sanders, Sheridan, Silver Bow, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, Teton, Toole, Treasure, Valley, Wheatland, Wibaux, Yellowstone Counties due to elevated particulate levels. The decision is based on 24-hour trends expected to be in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse range, and potentially exceeding the 24-hour National Ambient Air Quality Standards over the next day.
Wildfire smoke continues to impact almost the entire state. At 8 AM, Helena and Great Falls are seeing the worst impacts with Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups levels of air quality. Eighteen sites are reporting Moderate levels.
Forecast
Unusually large fires are burning over Alberta and British Columbia in Canada. These fires continue to send plumes of smoke south into Montana. The flow becomes northerly Saturday behind a weak front, helping to bring additional smoke into the region. The greatest smoke concentrations are expected to affect areas in central and eastern Montana.
Conditions can change quickly as weather could stimulate active fires and the likelihood of new starts increases. Please keep track of concentrations at todaysair.mtdeq.us or the Fire and Smoke Map.
Tags: Smoke Forecast 2023