Great Falls breaks nearly 100-year high temperature record Wednesday

Great Falls saw a record-breaking high daily temperature for July 24, hitting 103 degrees Wednesday afternoon at the airport.

The high temp breaks a daily record of 102 set all the way back in 1929, according to the National Weather Service. Havre set a daily record with a high of 107, moving up three degrees from the previous high mark from last year at 104. Helena was also in record-breaking territory with a high of 102, surpassing its daily record of 100 in 1929.

All of Montana is under a red flag warning on Thursday for fire danger, with continuing high temperatures forecast across the state ranging from the mid-80s to upper 90s. Low relative humidity, strong wind gusts of 30-45 mph and scattered thunderstorms across the state in the afternoon and early evening increase the risk of new fires, NWS Great Falls said on social media.

According to NWS Great Falls forecasts as of Thursday, Great Falls is expected to see high temperatures from Friday through Sunday that are relatively cooler than the recent heat wave, sitting in the mid- to upper 80s.

In western Montana, the Missoula area endured a severe thunderstorm on Wednesday, with a high-wind gust of 109 mph recorded at the top of Mount Sentinel.

The storm knocked out power for more than 20,000 people in the Missoula area as of Thursday morning, NBC Montana reported, citing NorthWestern Energy.

This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: Great Falls breaks nearly 100-year high temperature record Wednesday