Temperatures could hit 100 this week in Great Falls as hot weather continues

The dog days of summer will continue in the Great Falls area, with temperatures potentially hitting 100 degrees next week.

Following forecasted highs around 95 over the weekend, Great Falls is forecasted to see temperatures of 98 on Tuesday and 99 on Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.

“The chance is there,” Jim Brusda, a meteorologist with NWS Great Falls, said Friday of the likelihood of temps hitting 100 at midweek.

Since July 8, the Great Falls area saw high temperatures above 90 degrees in 10 of 11 days, as of Friday, with the high in the mid-80s only on July 12.

While the last two weeks of July through the first week of August is historically the hottest period of the year in Central Montana, temperatures have and will continue to be a bit above normal, with average highs usually being around 86-87 degrees in this time period.

The upward trend is nothing record-setting, Brusda said, adding that anything within 5-10 degrees of the average is not a radical deviation from the norm. But the bottom line is: It’s hot, and it’s going to stay that way for the next few weeks.

“For the next 20 days, that’s the hottest time of year around here,” Brusda said. “And this year is no exception. It took a while to warm up but once it warmed up in the first part of July, it’s warm now and it’s going to stay warm.”

Brusda said on Friday there is a chance of some relief next weekend around July 27-28 for temperatures to dip back down to average in the upper 80s.

With the slightly above average temperatures comes a higher risk of fire danger, and NWS Great Falls asked the public to exercise greater caution in preventing fires.

“Further drying of vegetation will continue the transition to higher fire danger,” NWS Great Falls posted on social media Friday. “Use caution with equipment and activities that could spark and result in a fire.

• “Equipment – Secure towing chains, hot engines can ignite dry grasses, etc.
• Activities – Fully put out campfires, don’t throw cigarette butts out of car windows, etc.”

NWS Great Falls also said to remember the importance of staying hydrated especially during these days of hotter temps, and to never leave children, elderly people or pets in cars.

With the Horse Gulch wildfire burning in the Helena area, NWS Great Falls also said to regularly check the air quality and limit time outside as is possible when air quality drops due smoke.

This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: Temperatures could hit 100 this week in Great Falls as hot weather continues