Extreme Heat Targets Much of Montana This Weekend

Montana is heading for the hottest weekend yet of 2026, with most areas into the 90s this weekend, and a few places well into triple digits.

The National Weather Service says high pressure building over the Northern Rockies will create a range of highs west of the Divide, from 85 all the way up to 105, with the hottest temperatures in the valleys of Central Idaho, extending into Northwest Montana.

East of the Divide, there's actually an Extreme Heat Watch now posted from Saturday morning through Sunday night for all the counties along the eastern border, with a possible peak of 110 in the Yellowstone River Valley. Overnight temps won't help much either, only cooling into the mid-70s. Some locations around Billings are in the "purple", or level 4 on the heat risk index.

    Bozeman and other points in Southwest Montana will peak in the low 90s.

Water is getting sparse in spots

A new report on Montana’s water supply paints a stark picture for many communities across the state.

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation has released its Summer 2026 Drought and Water Supply Outlook. The report finds that while northwest Montana remains drought-free, roughly 85% of the state is either abnormally dry or facing moderate to extreme drought conditions.

The agency notes that above-average temperatures and a lack of spring precipitation have caused high-elevation snowpack to melt early, leading to record-low river flows in several basins by mid-June. While recent rainfall has helped stabilize some areas, reservoirs east of the Continental Divide remain below average. Looking ahead, officials warn there is a high probability of continued hot and dry conditions through the rest of the summer.

You can find the full report on the DNRC website. drought.mt.gov.

RELATED: Montana's Hottest Julys

Dennis Bragg photo

New help for tracking drought

As a major heat dome begins to intensify across the Northern Rockies,

Montana agricultural producers have a powerful new tool to combat baking temperatures and tracking dry soil. The Montana Climate Office has officially launched its new "Drought Data Dashboard," known simply as D-3. Funded through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and a targeted congressional allocation, the free, open-source web platform delivers daily, hyper-local drought metrics and soil moisture tracking.

By combining multiple advanced weather datasets into a single composite map, D-3 is designed to help state ranchers, farmers, and water managers make swift, data-driven decisions regarding livestock and water allocations before peak summer heat sets in.