Headline:
Fire Weather Watch issued August 21 at 4:30PM MDT until August 23 at 12:00PM MDT by NWS Missoula MT
Event:
Fire Weather Watch
Urgency:
Future
Effective:
August 21, 2026 - 3:30pm
Expires:
August 21, 2026 - 11:30pm
Description:
...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
SUNDAY MORNING DUE TO LIGHTNING FOR KOOTENAI, WEST LOLO, AND FLATHEAD
RESERVATION...
...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY
EVENING DUE TO WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR DEERLODGE/WEST
BEAVERHEAD AND EAST BEAVERHEAD...
...
.Antecedent conditions have been very dry and warm. The Kootenai
Forest especially has received well below normal precipitation since
early July. Thunderstorms with little to no precipitation Saturday
evening and overnight will be followed Sunday with a dry cold front.
Increased winds and lowering relative humidities behind the front on
Sunday will potentially bring critical fire weather conditions to
southwest Montana.
The National Weather Service in Missoula MT has issued a Fire Weather
Watch.
* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 104, 106, and 107.
* TIMING...From Saturday afternoon through Sunday morning.
* LIGHTNING...Afternoon and evening thunderstorms will transition to
nocturnal thunderstorms. Dry surface conditions could lead to
lightning producing storms with little to no precipitation.
* OUTFLOW WINDS...Through 9 pm erratic winds 25 to 40 mph.
* IMPACTS...Lightning strikes will have the potential to start new
fires, and gusty outflow winds could cause rapid spread of new and
existing wildfires.
Instruction:
Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the field of
this Fire Weather Watch.
Area Description:
Kootenai National Forest/Talley Lake District/fnf; Western Lolo National Forest; Salish and Kootenai Indian Reservation
Forcast Office:
NWS Missoula MT
Sender:
w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov