Canada Wildfire Smoke has Traveled to Missoula, Air Quality is Considered Moderate
Some wildfire smoke has traveled to the Missoula area, but it is not from any wildfires in Montana. National Weather Service Meteorologist Travis Booth explains.
“About 24 to 36 hours ago, we starting seeing some smoke coming down from Alberta, Canada,” Booth said. “It has gotten into the area and now it is just kind of stuck. Right now, the flows are stagnant. I would expect we will have the haze and smoke around for at least the next day or two. Once we get into later in the weekend, we do have more of a westerly flow. That should help push some of it out.”
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality was reporting “moderate” air quality in the Missoula area. When it comes to flooding, Booth says water levels look pretty good right now.
“Looking at the gauge on the Clark Fork that is just above Missoula, it is at 7.47 feet and minor flood stage is considered to be 7.5 feet,” Booth said. “It is expected to ride right along that 7.5 feet for the next several days. There may be a little bit of water there on the northern part of Tower Street, but we are not expecting much change as far as the flow of the Clark Fork.”
According to Booth, scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to occur in Missoula during the next few days.