Good morning, Idaho. Baby Friday is here!
Unfortunately, Hot and dry weather isn't going anywhere just yet. High pressure parked over the Desert Southwest will keep temperatures running above average through Saturday, although persistent wildfire smoke will continue to take a few degrees off afternoon highs.
Even with the smoke, valley temperatures are still expected to climb into the upper 90s to around 103 degrees Friday and Saturday. The combination of hot temperatures, low humidity, and dry vegetation will continue to create favorable conditions for wildfire growth. While no red flag warning is issued for the weekend just yet, avoid outdoor burning.
Wildfire smoke will also remain one of the biggest weather concerns through the end of the week. While smoke may keep temperatures from getting even hotter, it will continue to reduce air quality across the region. Smoke tends to settle into valley floors overnight and during the morning because of limited atmospheric mixing, leading to the poorest air quality early in the day before conditions gradually improve during the afternoon.
A pattern change arrives this weekend as a dry cold front moves through on Saturday into Sunday. Unlike a typical cold front, this one won't bring much-needed rainfall. Instead, it will increase west winds while very dry air remains in place, creating elevated fire weather concerns through the weekend.
Behind the front, temperatures will cool by about 5 to 10 degrees below normal Sunday into Monday, offering some relief from the heat. However, the cooler air will be accompanied by breezy conditions, especially across the Upper Treasure Valley and Magic Valley on Monday, where stronger wind gusts are expected.
The cooler weather won't last long. High pressure is forecast to rebuild over the Great Basin by Tuesday and Wednesday, allowing temperatures to climb once again. Forecast models hint at another weak disturbance later next week, but confidence remains low, and no widespread rainfall is expected at this time.
Overall, the weather pattern remains hot, dry, and favorable for wildfire activity, meaning smoke and periods of degraded air quality are likely to remain part of the forecast into next week.
