An Extreme Heat Warning is in effect right now for several areas of Montana, including Musselshell, Hill County, and Central and Southeast Phillips. The warning was issued jointly by the National Weather Service offices in Billings, MT, Great Falls, MT, and Glasgow, MT, and took effect at 12:52 PM MDT on July 23, 2026. It is set to expire at 1:00 PM MDT on July 24, 2026. Residents in the affected areas should treat this warning as active and take protective action for the duration of that window.
What NWS Is Telling Residents to Do Right Now
The National Weather Service is issuing clear, direct guidance for anyone in the affected areas. Officials are urging residents to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day, regardless of whether they feel thirsty. Dehydration can set in quickly during extreme heat events, and staying ahead of fluid loss is one of the most effective protective steps available.
NWS is also instructing people to stay in an air-conditioned room for as much of the warning period as possible. If your home does not have air conditioning, identifying a nearby cooling center, library, or other air-conditioned public space and spending time there is strongly advisable. The warning period spans a significant portion of both July 23 and July 24, so this is not a short-duration concern.
Residents are additionally being told to stay out of the sun during this period. Limiting direct sun exposure reduces the heat burden on your body and lowers the risk of heat-related illness. If outdoor activity is unavoidable, minimizing time in direct sunlight and seeking shade wherever possible is essential.
Finally, and critically, the National Weather Service is asking people to check up on relatives and neighbors. Elderly individuals, young children, those with chronic health conditions, and people who live alone are particularly vulnerable during extreme heat events. A phone call, a knock on the door, or a brief visit can make a life-saving difference. Do not assume that the people around you are managing the heat safely, reach out directly.
Staying Prepared During Heat Emergencies
Extreme heat is one of the leading weather-related causes of death in the United States, and events like this warning for Musselshell, Hill County, and Central and Southeast Phillips serve as a reminder of why heat preparedness deserves a place in every household’s emergency plan. At USRiskRadar, we consistently emphasize the value of knowing your local NWS office, in this case, the offices in Billings, Great Falls, and Glasgow, and monitoring their alerts throughout the summer months. Having a plan for where to go if your home loses cooling, keeping contact information for vulnerable neighbors and family members on hand, and maintaining an adequate supply of water are foundational steps that apply every season. When an Extreme Heat Warning is issued, those preparations move from background planning to immediate action. Follow the guidance from the National Weather Service, look out for one another, and remain alert to any updates before the warning expires at 1:00 PM MDT on July 24, 2026.
For the fundamentals that apply beyond this specific alert, see our Power Outage Preparedness guide.
Source: National Weather Service (NWS Billings MT, NWS Great Falls MT, NWS Glasgow MT), active alert data retrieved 2026-07-23 19:40 UTC via api.weather.gov.
