Air Quality Alerts in place with hazy skies, cooler temps

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)- Red Flag Warnings are in effect until 9 p.m. Sunday as windy conditions and low humidity create dangerous fire weather throughout the region. Officials have also issued Air Quality Alerts for several counties due to patchy smoke from ongoing wildfires.

The National Weather Service reports that while fire risks remain high today, significantly cooler temperatures are expected to arrive Monday and continue through Wednesday. Despite the cooling, the forecast shows no precipitation expected through at least next Sunday.

Breezy and windy conditions are expected to persist throughout Sunday, with gusts reaching up to 36 mph. According to the National Weather Service, these winds will combine with very low humidity levels to create high-risk scenarios for fire spread. Winds are forecast to decrease slightly after midnight to between 11 and 16 mph.

Smoke impact remains a primary concern through Monday as strong west-to-southwest airflows transport smoke from several ongoing western wildfires. The weather service expects this smoke to linger as the flow aloft shifts toward a northwesterly direction. Air Quality Alerts have been issued for several counties in response to these conditions.

The region will see a reprieve from recent heat as an upper-level trough moves east through Idaho. Temperatures on Monday are forecast to reach a high near 81 degrees in lower elevations, while mountain areas may see highs in the 70s. This cooling trend is expected to last through Wednesday, with Tuesday's high predicted to reach 83 degrees.

By Thursday, a new warming trend will bring high temperatures back into the 90s for low-elevation areas. The weather service projects this heat will intensify through next weekend, with temperatures potentially reaching the upper 90s in lower elevations. No precipitation is forecast for the region through next Sunday.