The National Weather Service's forecast for central and western North Dakota calls for above-average temperatures on Thursday, rising to the high 30s and staying there through the weekend. In Bismarck, temperatures are expected to be in the 35s this weekend. That's about 10 degrees warmer than normal for this time of year, but it probably won't come close to record temperatures in the triple digits.

A heat dome that has parched the West with record temperatures will shift eastward. Elevated dew points could also make it muggy, said Megan Jones, a meteorologist in the weather service's Bismarck office who specializes in climate issues.

“This is definitely a change from the weather we've experienced over the past few weeks,” she said, noting that people who aren't used to the heat should take precautions. The weather service advises people who are outdoors to wear lightweight, loose-fitting and light-colored clothing, apply sunscreen, drink plenty of water and take regular breaks in the shade.

North Dakota is on the edge of the western heat dome and the heat will “not be too crazy,” Jones said, but added, “It's not impossible that we could see highs in the 100s in the Southwest on Saturday.”

Meanwhile, smoke from the forest fires in Canada is once again moving south.

“It just depends on the pattern of the high altitude air. There is a current that connects us to northwest Alberta, where there are a lot of wildfires right now,” Jones said.

Canada's wildfires were not as extreme as last summer, when fires burned about 45 million acres of land – an area roughly the size of North Dakota. Stretching from the western provinces east to Quebec, the fires regularly sent smoke south during the summer of 2023, often creating unhealthy air.

According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, wildfires have burned less than 3 million acres north of the border so far this summer.

The smoke expected in North Dakota this week is expected to stay mostly high above the ground, meaning there will be hazy skies, smoke smells and bright red-orange sunrises and sunsets, but no widespread health hazards near the ground.

“Certainly not nearly as bad as some days last summer,” Jones said.

Air quality was rated “moderate” in most parts of the state on Tuesday, including Bismarck-Mandan. However, areas in north-central North Dakota and just across the U.S.-Canadian border were rated “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” according to AirNow, a partnership of federal and state agencies including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Wildfire smoke is particularly dangerous because it contains tiny particles, the smallest pollutants of all. When inhaled, it can penetrate deep into the lung tissue and enter the bloodstream. It is produced by the combustion of fossil fuels, dust storms, and wildfires, among other things. This smoke is linked to several health complications, including asthma, heart disease, and other respiratory diseases.

For information on wildfires and air quality, visit the state Department of Environmental Quality website at bit.ly/3OhrD7E.