Early fall often means large wildfires in the western United States, and this year is no exception.
Several large wildfires burning in California, Oregon and other western states have been pumping smoke into the atmosphere.
A huge area of high pressure has been keeping the smoke mainly over western states, but this weekend a pattern change will send some smoke toward the northeastern U.S.
Smoke from the many wildfires burning out West will get caught up in the jet stream and quickly move east through the end of this week.
The smoke is expected to enter Maine on Friday evening and spread over much of the state on Saturday.
The smoke will be high up in the atmosphere, around the altitude of commercial flights. Skies will likely take on a milky appearance Saturday with the high altitude smoke. Sunsets and sunrises will appear a muted reddish color over the weekend as well.
With the smoke being at such a high altitude, it shouldn’t affect our air quality, and you probably won’t notice any strange smoke smells in the air.
So, if you look up to the skies this weekend and are wondering why they have a dusty or hazy appearance, western wildfire smoke is to blame.
The area of smoke that will move over Maine should begin to move out on Sunday, leaving our skies clearer as we begin the workweek.
Maine’s next rain chance on Tuesday night and Wednesday will help clear the sky out.
With the western megadrought continuing and wildfires continuing to burn, it is certainly not out of the question to see more hazy, smoky skies in Maine as the fall continues.
