National Weather Service Great Falls

A few days of abnormally high temperatures are set to give way to the season’s first dash of winter weather by this time next week.

The hot and dry weather will continue for most of the northern Rockies through Thursday, but temporary relief is just around the corner.

A series of slow moving and intense thunderstorms produced torrential rainfall and small hail in parts of central and southwest Montana Wednesday afternoon.

Smoke from more than a hundred active wildfires in Canada is spreading throughout Montana and affecting air quality across the state.

More snow — and dicey driving conditions — are on the way to western and central Montana Wednesday

Experts say a light blanket of smoke is expected to cover most of Montana throughout the rest of this week. The smoke appears to be coming from the Washburn Fire burning in Yosemite National Park in California.