Heat Persists in the Southwest; Elevated to Critical Fire Weather in the Great Basin; Poor Air Quality in the West

Dangerous heat will persist across the Southwest U.S. through this week, easing by next week. The heat will focus further east in the Great Plains and Mississippi Valley beginning next week. Elevated to locally critical fire weather conditions will persist for the Great Basin today. Poor air quality lingers for the Northwest, Great Basin, Central Rockies into the Plains. Read More >

Click a location below for detailed forecast.

Last Map Update: Tue, Aug 4, 2026 at 1:16:32 pm MDT

Watches, Warnings & Advisories

Zoom Out

National Weather Service Great Falls, MT

Air Quality Alert

Extensive Wildfire Smoke and Visibility Impacts

🚨 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