266  
FXUS65 KMSO 261915  
AFDMSO  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT  
115 PM MDT FRI JUL 26 2024  
   
DISCUSSION
 
BREEZY AFTERNOONS, MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS, AND  
SMOKY SKIES WILL DOMINATE THE WEATHER PATTERN THROUGH MONDAY. AN  
EXCEPTION WILL BE TOMORROW AS A WEAK WAVE WILL PROVIDE THE LIFT  
FOR A MIX OF WET AND DRY THUNDERSTORMS IN THE S. BITTERROOT  
VALLEY, LEMHI COUNTY, ID, AND SOUTHWEST MT WHICH WILL LEAD TO  
CONCERNS FOR A CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER DAY IN THOSE LOCATIONS. ANY  
STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF GUSTY AND ERRATIC OUTFLOW WINDS.  
 
TUESDAY A STRONGER WAVE ASSOCIATED WITH SOME PACIFIC MOISTURE WILL  
TRANSIT THE CANADIAN BORDER BRINGING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS  
MAINLY TO NORTHWEST MONTANA AND THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. SLIGHTLY  
COOLER TEMPERATURES WILL RESULT FROM CLOUD COVER.  
 
BY THURSDAY, THE MODEL CONSENSUS IS INCREASING TEMPERATURES WITH A  
REEMERGENCE OF THE 4-CORNERS HIGH PRESSURE. A DEEPENING ALASKAN  
TROUGH ON THE 2-3 AUG WILL FORCE THE AXIS OF THE RIDGE TO THE  
EAST. THE QUESTION THEN BECOMES, WILL THE RIDGE HOLD AND THE  
NORTHERN ROCKIES EXPERIENCES VERY WARM TEMPERATURES WITH  
INCREASING INSTABILITY OR A COMPLETE RIDGE BREAKDOWN? FUTURE  
FORECASTS WILL ANSWER THIS QUESTION.  
 

 
   
AVIATION
 
BREEZY WINDS OUT OF THE WEST WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON  
AND EVENING AND WILL BE THE MAIN WEATHER FEATURE AT ALL TERMINALS  
TODAY. SMOKE FROM LOCAL AND REGIONAL WILDFIRES WILL DEGRADE  
VISIBILITY AT TIMES THROUGHOUT THE NORTHERN ROCKIES TODAY AND  
TONIGHT.  
 

 
   
MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
 
 
MT...NONE.  
ID...
 
 

 
 
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