Happy Thursday! It is a pleasant but mild start to the day. After a high of 95° in Great Falls on Wednesday, a passing weather system will bring slightly cooler temperatures and a chance of thunderstorms.
![Storm timing](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d61d1e4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1920x1080+0+0/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd4%2F04%2F48dbdde94bf7a3a9b84c0976d8a2%2Fstorm-chances-4-hour-1634127832219.png)
As of 8:30am, a line of showers and embedded thunderstorms is moving through Toole and Liberty counties, bringing light precipitation amounts. This batch will push further east throughout the morning, mainly impacting the Hi-Line.
![Storm Prediction Center risk](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ee1b03c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1920x1080+0+0/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fee%2Fab%2F96c6e9dd40fdb59169bc7e22b4c0%2Fspc-day-1.png)
Later today and tonight, scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop, with the highest likelihood of storms in the Golden Triangle area. While most areas will see only a 30-40% chance of precipitation, the Storm Prediction Center has placed north central Montana under a marginal risk of severe weather, with gusty winds, lightning, and brief downpours possible in one or two storms.
Thursday will be hazy across the region as a wind shift brings additional wildfire smoke into central Montana. The hot and dry pattern looks to persist through Friday and the weekend, with highs in the low to mid 90s. A few isolated thunderstorms are possible Saturday evening, mainly in the mountains.
![Temperature Trends](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d7a23f7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1920x1080+0+0/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F52%2Fd4%2F696f6f124ef786e2cf0e302ef6fd%2Fheat-index-vs-air-temp-meteogram-1627451112818.png)
An early heads-up: the middle of next week (July 23-24) is shaping up to be very hot, with many areas reaching 100°F. However, long-range models hint at a possible cooldown by the following weekend, with highs in the 80s. Keep your fingers crossed if you're ready for a break from the heat!
![Great Falls 7-day](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b701752/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1920x1080+0+0/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F6e%2F80%2Fc47d2ae64d72b6502af83c16a3ec%2Fgreat-falls-7-day-am-1.png)
![Helena 7-day](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/20a25a7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1920x1080+0+0/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F93%2F6e%2F838163cf4fc6b9a7579367f4051a%2Fhelena-7-day-am-1.png)