BOZEMAN — Thick wildfire smoke from the west will hang over the area on Tuesday, so limit your time outdoors if you're sensitive to poor air quality. High pressure will keep temperatures high across Southwest and North Central Montana through Saturday. Relief arrives Sunday as a strong Pacific trough breaks up the ridge, bringing gusty winds and a dry cold front that pushes temperatures slightly below average by Monday. Monsoonal moisture moving around the ridge will offer daily chances for isolated showers and storms, though most of the region will remain dry over the week ahead.
At the same time, confidence is increasing for a high-wind event along the Rocky Mountain Front from Saturday night through Sunday. Overnight mountain waves combined with strong daytime atmospheric mixing on Sunday will drive powerful, potentially damaging wind gusts across the region.
