Red Flag Warning 6, NWS Missoula, MT

698 
WWUS85 KMSO 061935
RFWMSO

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Missoula MT
135 PM MDT Thu Aug 6 2026

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
SATURDAY EVENING DUE TO WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR
DEERLODGE/WEST BEAVERHEAD, EAST BEAVERHEAD, EAST LOLO, AND
BITTERROOT...

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING DUE
TO WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR DEERLODGE/WEST BEAVERHEAD AND
EAST BEAVERHEAD...

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY
EVENING DUE TO WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR PALOUSE/HELLS
CANYON...

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
SATURDAY EVENING DUE TO WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR WEST LOLO
AND FLATHEAD RESERVATION...

...

.Increasingly, hot, dry, and breezy if not windy conditions are
expected to continue and peak on Saturday August 8th. Poor overnight
recoveries, with elevated temperatures and dry conditions, remain
expected above valley floors and in higher terrain.

MTZ110-111-070345-
/O.NEW.KMSO.FW.A.0005.260807T1800Z-260809T0300Z/
/O.CON.KMSO.FW.W.0006.000000T0000Z-260807T0300Z/
Deerlodge/West Beaverhead-East Beaverhead-
135 PM MDT Thu Aug 6 2026

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
SATURDAY EVENING...
...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING...

The National Weather Service in Missoula MT has issued a Fire Weather
Watch in effect from Friday afternoon through Saturday evening.

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

* TIMING...For the Red Flag Warning, until 9 PM MDT this evening. For
  the Fire Weather Watch, from Friday afternoon through Saturday
  evening.

* WINDS...For the Red Flag Warning, northwest winds 10 to 15 mph with
  gusts up to 30 mph, and for the Fire Weather Watch, west winds 10
  to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...For the Red Flag Warning, Relative Humidity
  between 5 to 20 percent, and for the Fire Weather Watch, Relative
  Humidity between 5 to 15 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 Fire Weather Watch.

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

&&

$$

IDZ102-070345-
/O.NEW.KMSO.FW.A.0005.260807T1800Z-260809T0600Z/
Palouse/Hells Canyon-
1235 PM PDT Thu Aug 6 2026

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY
EVENING...

The National Weather Service in Missoula MT has issued a Fire Weather
Watch.

* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zone 102.

* TIMING...From Friday morning through Saturday evening.

* WINDS...West winds 5 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...Relative Humidity between 5 to 20 percent.

* IMPACTS...Critical fire weather conditions are expected in the
  Palouse and Hells Canyon region, western portions of Fire Weather
  Zone 102, with elevated to near-critical fire weather conditions
  expected in the remainder of the zone. 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 Fire Weather Watch.

&&

$$

MTZ108-109-070345-
/O.NEW.KMSO.FW.A.0005.260807T1800Z-260809T0300Z/
East Lolo-Bitterroot-
135 PM MDT Thu Aug 6 2026

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
SATURDAY EVENING...

The National Weather Service in Missoula MT has issued a Fire Weather
Watch.

* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 108 and 109.

* TIMING...From Friday afternoon through Saturday evening.

* WINDS...West winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 35 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...Relative Humidity between 5 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 Fire Weather Watch.

&&

$$

MTZ106-107-070345-
/O.NEW.KMSO.FW.A.0005.260808T1800Z-260809T0300Z/
West Lolo-Flathead Reservation-
135 PM MDT Thu Aug 6 2026

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
SATURDAY EVENING...

The National Weather Service in Missoula MT has issued a Fire Weather
Watch.

* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 106 and 107.

* TIMING...From Saturday afternoon through Saturday evening.

* WINDS...West winds 5 to 15 mph with gusts up to 30 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...Relative Humidity between 5 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 Fire Weather Watch.

&&

$$

TSP

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Missoula MT
148 AM MDT Thu Aug 6 2026

.DISCUSSION...

KEY MESSAGES:

-  Warming trend through the rest of the week.

-  Wildfire smoke will continue to impact the region until
   further notice.

-  Ridge of high pressure flattens heading into the weekend. Near-
   critical to critical fire weather expected due to hot, dry and
   breezy conditions.

A ridge of high pressure will continue to build over the western
United States, maintaining warm, dry, and stable conditions
across western Montana and north central Idaho. Temperatures will
warm significantly by Friday and Saturday, with lower elevations
climbing back into the 90s and localized areas exceeding 100
degrees. As the upper ridge begins to flatten and transition into
a more zonal flow this weekend, afternoon surface winds will
increase. The combination of high temperatures, low relative
humidity, breezy afternoon winds, and critically low fuel moisture
will maintain near-critical fire weather conditions, likely
peaking in intensity from Friday into Saturday.

Wildfire smoke will continue to be a forecast challenge across
the region in terms of how much air quality is degraded. Strong
radiational cooling under cloud-free, albeit smoky, skies will
promote the development of sharp nocturnal valley inversions each
morning. These inversions will trap particulate matter near the
surface, degrading air quality and visibility during the morning
hours. Afternoon diurnal heating will promote boundary layer
mixing, which will temporarily aid in dispersing near-surface
smoke. However, this increased ventilation will also invigorate
regional wildfire activity, potentially generating thicker smoke
plumes aloft. Current high-resolution smoke modeling indicates
near-surface smoke concentrations will peak early this afternoon
before modest improvement occurs with peak heating by early
evening.

A subtle increase in mid-level moisture tracking along the periphery
of the upper ridge may introduce a slight chance for high-based
convection from Friday through the weekend, particularly across
southwest Montana. The anomalously dry sub-cloud layer will pose a
significant risk for localized, erratic convective wind gusts of
40 to 55 mph, alongside the threat of new lightning ignitions.

Heading into next week, forecast confidence remains low regarding
a gradual increase in atmospheric moisture. A substantial
synoptic pattern shift, such as the arrival of a deep Pacific
Northwest upper-level trough, will ultimately be required to
significantly diminish the prevailing fire weather threat and
alleviate the persistent smoke. Current model runs show a 20 to 30
percent chance of this occurring by mid to late next week.

&&

.AVIATION...Widespread wildfire smoke will remain the primary
aviation hazard through the next 24 hours, causing localized
visibility reductions. Strong radiational cooling and sharp
nocturnal inversions will trap particulate matter within valley
locations, leading to periods of MVFR to localized IFR surface
visibility reductions this morning. Afternoon diurnal heating will
promote boundary layer mixing and modest improvements to surface
visibility; however, this increased ventilation will concurrently
invigorate regional wildfire activity, generating thicker smoke
plumes aloft. Furthermore, high density altitude will be a
prominent concern as afternoon temperatures climb into the 90s and
localized 100s. Winds will generally be light and terrain driven.

&&

.MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...None.
ID...None.
&&