Hazy conditions improve Monday, but wildfire smoke may last through the Summer

 

It has been a hazy and smoke-filled weekend as smoke from the Canadian wildfires continue to impact the Midwest and Great Lakes. Visibility has been reduced throughout the afternoon, but it has dropped a little further Sunday evening.

Hazy skies will continue through the night and into Monday morning, but conditions should begin to improve once the cold front moves through. There will likely continue to be some haze and smoke in the atmosphere through the week, but it'll remain more elevated and in the upper levels of the atmosphere, rather than right down at the surface. This means air quality should improve over the next couple of days.

Unfortunately, the smoke from the fires in Canada is something we will likely have to deal with throughout the rest of the summer, possibly lasting into Fall. Until the fires decrease in coverage in Canada, smoke will continue to impact the lower 48 as the jet stream shifts and moves. Impacts to air quality will also continue as long as smoke travels from the upper levels down to the surface.