Red Flag Warning 5, NWS Missoula, MT

Issued

Jul 31, 2026, 12:11 PM PDT (19:11 UTC)

In effect from

Aug 1, 2026, 11:00 AM PDT

Expired

Aug 2, 2026, 8:00 PM PDT

In force

33 hr

Issued by

NWS Missoula, MT

The Missoula radar (KMSX), 34 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:15 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

948 
WWUS85 KMSO 311911
RFWMSO

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Missoula MT
111 PM MDT Fri Jul 31 2026

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS CANCELLED FOR CLEARWATER/NEZ PERCE...

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM PDT SATURDAY DUE TO
WIND SHIFT, MOISTURE DROP AND WIND, LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR
PALOUSE/HELLS CANYON...

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM SATURDAY TO MIDNIGHT MDT
SATURDAY NIGHT DUE TO WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR A PORTION OF
MT...

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM SATURDAY TO 9 PM MDT SUNDAY
DUE TO WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR DEERLODGE/WEST BEAVERHEAD
AND EAST BEAVERHEAD...

...

.A ridge breakdown and dry frontal passage will bring critical fire
weather to the region.

IDZ103-312015-
/O.CAN.KMSO.FW.A.0004.260801T1800Z-260802T0300Z/
Clearwater/Nez Perce-
1211 PM PDT Fri Jul 31 2026

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS CANCELLED...

This fire weather zone is not expected to reach prolonged Red Flag
criteria. Hot, dry, and breezy conditions remain and elevated fire
weather remains expected.

$$

IDZ102-010315-
/O.UPG.KMSO.FW.A.0004.260801T1800Z-260802T0300Z/
/O.NEW.KMSO.FW.W.0005.260801T1800Z-260802T0300Z/
Palouse/Hells Canyon-
1211 PM PDT Fri Jul 31 2026

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM PDT SATURDAY...

The National Weather Service in Missoula MT has issued a Red Flag
Warning in effect from 11 AM to 8 PM PDT Saturday.

* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zone 102.

* TIMING...From 11 AM to 8 PM PDT Saturday.

* WINDS...West winds 10 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...Relative Humidity between 10 to 20 percent.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will spread rapidly. Outdoor
  burning is not recommended.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the field of
this Red Flag Warning.

&&

$$

MTZ104>109-010315-
/O.UPG.KMSO.FW.A.0004.260801T2000Z-260802T0600Z/
/O.NEW.KMSO.FW.W.0005.260801T2000Z-260802T0600Z/
Kootenai-Flathead/Glacier Park-West Lolo-Flathead Reservation-
East Lolo-Bitterroot-
111 PM MDT Fri Jul 31 2026

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM SATURDAY TO MIDNIGHT MDT
SATURDAY NIGHT...

The National Weather Service in Missoula MT has issued a Red Flag
Warning in effect from 2 PM Saturday to midnight MDT Saturday Night.

* AFFECTED AREA...A portion of MT.

* TIMING...From 2 PM Saturday to midnight MDT Saturday Night.

* WINDS...West winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph and
  isolated gusts up to 50 mph in higher terrain especially along the
  Continental Divide.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...Relative Humidity between 9 to 20 percent.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will spread rapidly. Outdoor
  burning is not recommended.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the field of
this Red Flag Warning.

&&

$$

MTZ110-111-010315-
/O.UPG.KMSO.FW.A.0004.260801T2000Z-260803T0300Z/
/O.NEW.KMSO.FW.W.0005.260801T2000Z-260803T0300Z/
Deerlodge/West Beaverhead-East Beaverhead-
111 PM MDT Fri Jul 31 2026

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM SATURDAY TO 9 PM MDT
SUNDAY...

The National Weather Service in Missoula MT has issued a Red Flag
Warning in effect from 2 PM Saturday to 9 PM MDT Sunday.

* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 110 and 111.

* TIMING...From 2 PM Saturday to 9 PM MDT Sunday.

* WINDS...West winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...Relative Humidity between 8 to 20 percent.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will spread rapidly. Outdoor
  burning is not recommended.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the field of
this Red Flag Warning.

&&

$$

TSP

NWS Missoula, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before this red flag warning went out at Jul 31, 3:12 AM PDT, 8 hours 59 minutes earlier.

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Missoula MT
412 AM MDT Fri Jul 31 2026

.DISCUSSION...

KEY MESSAGES:

- Critical fire weather this weekend, with the strongest winds
  occurring Saturday evening rather than peak afternoon heating.

- Choppy lakes are expected Saturday afternoon and evening.

- Cooler and more pleasant Sunday into Monday.

- Dry with seasonable temperatures next week, though higher valleys
  could see lows in the 30s!

High confidence remains in a critical fire weather pattern this
weekend as a dry Pacific trough pushes a cold front through the
region. Pre-frontal heating peaks on Saturday afternoon with
temperatures approaching 100 degrees in valleys south of I-90 and
in southwest Montana. Lakes including Flathead Lake will become
choppy as the westerly winds develop by mid to late afternoon. The
dry cold front will move through Saturday evening causing winds to
increase in places. There's a 60-70% chance for wind gusts
exceeding 35 mph across the western Bitterroot Valley.

It will be much cooler on Sunday as highs will range from the 70s
to 80s in the valleys. It will be breezy and you may need to
bring a jacket in the higher reaches of Glacier National Park
where highs may only be in the lower to middle 60s.

If you think the 60s were chilly at Logan Pass Sunday, on Monday,
the upper trough will pass over the region...highs may only be in
the upper 50s there. Lower valleys will generally be in the 70s
and 80s...5 to 10 degrees below average for this time of year.

Additionally, campers and recreators should prepare for a cold start
Tuesday morning as high elevation valleys may be able to cool
efficiently under clear skies. Low temperatures could drop into the
30s across places like Georgetown Lake, Seeley Lake, Butte and in
the Glacier Region.

Ensemble clusters depict a wide variety of solutions in how the
pattern will evolve next week. Overall, the temperatures will
moderate to seasonable levels by mid-week and there is little
chance for precipitation.

&&

.AVIATION... Hot temperatures will keep density altitudes elevated
across all regional terminals. Deep southwesterly flow continues
to transport wildfire smoke across the region, degrading slant-
range visibility and keeping surface visibilities near 6SM. A dry
cold front will move through later Saturday to bring gusty
westerly winds 20 to 35 knots across the region.

&&

.MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...Fire Weather Watch from Saturday afternoon through Saturday
     evening for Bitterroot...East Lolo...Flathead Reservation...
     Flathead/Glacier Park...Kootenai...West Lolo.

     Fire Weather Watch from Saturday afternoon through Sunday
     evening for Deerlodge/West Beaverhead...East Beaverhead.

ID...Fire Weather Watch from Saturday morning through Saturday
     evening for Clearwater/Nez Perce...Palouse/Hells Canyon.

&&

Red Flag Warnings in Montana, 2026Red Flag Warnings in Idaho, 2026Every red flag warning in 2026

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.