Severe Weather and Heavy Rainfall from the High Plains to the Ohio Valley; Heat Continuing in the Central Plains and Southeast

A stationary front will be the focus for daily showers and thunderstorms capable of widely scattered flash flooding and severe weather from the High Plains to the Ohio Valley. Monsoonal thunderstorms could cause local flash flooding across the Southwest and the Great Basin. Dangerous heat continues across the Central Plains and Southeast. Many areas will see their hottest temperatures of the year. Read More >

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Last Map Update: Wed, Aug 12, 2026 at 7:14:49 am MDT

Watches, Warnings & Advisories

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National Weather Service Great Falls, MT

Flash Flood Watch

Red Flag Warning

Lake Wind Advisory

Fire Weather Watch

Air Quality Alert

Extensive Wildfire Smoke and Visibility Impacts

Gusty Northeast Winds - Tonight through Thursday

Wildfire Evacuation Preparation Strategies

Thunderstorms - Wednesday Evening

🚨 DEGRADED AIR QUALITY 🚨 🌫️ Current wildfire smoke is severely degrading air quality throughout Western Montana and North-Central Idaho, with no significant relief expected in the near term. Visibility may also be periodically reduced by the smoke, which could impact aviation operations ✈️. Please take precautions for your health: 🛑 Limit strenuous outdoor activity. 😷 Consider wearing an N95 mask if you must go out. 🏠 When indoors, keep windows closed and utilize air conditioning and filtration systems. 📍 Track your local air quality at fire.airnow.gov ℹ️ Local Resources: Idaho: deq.idaho.gov/air-quality Montana: deq.mt.gov/air

Winds across western Montana will shift to northeast 10-20 mph, gusting to 30 mph at times, tonight through Thursday. Watch for increased wave activity on area lakes.

During wildfire season, especially, it is critical that all residents familiarize themselves with the "Ready, Set, Go" protocol. Beyond having your go-kit packed (including supplies for your pets), there are immediate tactical steps you can take if fire is nearby: Park your vehicle facing the road for a rapid exit, and turn off all exterior sprinklers to ensure local fire crews have maximum water pressure. Monitor updates from your local county emergency management officials. If you feel unsafe, do not wait for an official order to leave.

🌩️Thunderstorm probabilities increase across the Northern Rockies Wednesday 2-10pm MDT, particularly for far northwest Montana and southwest Montana. Anticipate erratic wind gusts over 50 mph, cloud to ground lightning, little rainfall outside of storm cores, and limited improvement to smoke and visibility as the storms pass.