ROANOKE, Va. – The drought and extreme heat in western Canada and the Pacific Northwest has led to a number of large wildfires. As smoke from these fires gets lofted up, the jet stream can carry it to different places in the U.S. The west/northwest winds at airplane level have made it possible for that smoke to arrive in Virginia.
Even though most of it is suspended thousands of feet above the surface, the air quality Tuesday may pose an issue to those who are usually sensitive to changes in air quality. The most noticeable thing through at least Wednesday will be an increased amount of haze.
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At the same time, a front remains stalled south of us. Clouds continue to drift in just north of the front for our Tuesday. We will stay mostly dry, though.
Despite the haze and the clouds, we expect afternoon temperatures to rise a little more than they did Monday. Highs Tuesday will reach the 80s across much of southwest and central Virginia.
Wednesday will be a little hotter, thanks to a breeze coming down the mountains. That breeze will remain intact for the rest of the week, thanks to another front moving in from the north. In addition to the breeze, expect humidity levels to drop a little more by Thursday and Friday.
We’ll still be seasonably hot through the end of the week and this weekend.
As humidity levels rise, the chance for spotty storms returns for the weekend. While it won’t be enough to completely cancel your plans, make sure you have a way to check radar and get alerts by downloading our app.