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Transcontinental smoke and haze continue as humidity drops a bit Thursday

Air quality continues to be poor for the southern half of the area Thursday

Smoke and haze continue as humidity levels drop a bit Thursday

ROANOKE, Va. – Smoke and haze made for poor air quality Wednesday for those that suffer from breathing problems. That’s forecast to be an issue again Thursday for mostly areas south of U.S. 460.

Air quality forecast for Thursday, 7/22/2021

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A front that passed through Wednesday night helped to reduce the smoke particles by only a little bit. We’ll still be hazy throughout the day Thursday, with temperatures rising into the 80s during the afternoon.

High temperature forecast for Thursday, 7/22/2021

The good news is that this same front was able to knock the humidity down a peg. When dew points are in the 50s this time of year, that’s tolerable/borderline-comfortable air.

Hour by hour dew points for Thursday, 7/22/2021

Enjoy that while you can. The wind returns out of the southeast this weekend, bringing humidity levels up.

Humidity levels rise into the weekend

That same wind rises up the mountains, allowing a few storms to develop Saturday afternoon. Make sure to have a Plan B just in case you get caught under a downpour.

Forecast for 7/23-7/25/2021

In any case, it should mostly be an enjoyable weekend for FloydFest, the Sunflower Festival at Sinkland Farms or the Commonwealth Games in Lynchburg.

Looking ahead to next week, high pressure will be in firm control of the weather over the Plains. While we could see storms ride around the rim of high pressure early in the week, the middle-to-later part of the week looks quite hot and dry.

Climate Prediction Center outlook through July 31, 2021

Make sure to stay with us for updates on the forecast, radar or any alerts issued by the National Weather Service by downloading our app.


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