Smokey skies throughout the week thanks to Canadian wildfires

The smoky skies have made their return as we enter a new week. Many of you have likely noticed the milky color to the sky and are being brought back to last summers smoke events. Fortunately, this smoke is not reaching the ground…yet.

Wildfires are currently raging across Canada. Given winds being generally from the direction of these wildfires, the smoke forecast this week calls for a dense plume of smoke to pass over much of the Upper Midwest and Great Plains, leading to a smoky sky for many. The main concern is how much of it will reach the ground.

The current forecast is that most of the smoke will remain elevated and should not effect us here at the surface all that much the next day or two. Air quality right now across much of Minnesota is in the moderate range, so most folks aren’t noticing much of any smoke that may be currently at the surface .

Air quality levels may dip into the poor to unhealthy range as we progress through the week, but it is too soon to say just how bad the air quality will get behind the cold front that passes through tomorrow. Behind cold fronts, the air tends to sink down from higher up in the atmosphere. That said, it can be assumed that at least some of the smoke may make it to the surface Wednesday and into Thursday.

Just something to keep in mind for the middle part of this week if you have any health conditions that may be more prone to act up during smoky periods. Check back here at ABC 6 Weather First for any updates regarding the smoke forecast throughout the week!