Expect smoky skies in the Okanagan right through the weekend | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Kelowna News

Expect smoky skies in the Okanagan right through the weekend

The smoky skies will likely continue through the weekend in the Okanagan.

OKANAGAN - An unchanging weather pattern and forest fires burning at all four points of the compass doesn’t add up to an end anytime soon to the wildfire smoke in the Okanagan.

Environment Canada meteorologist Matt Macdonald says there is little chance the smoky conditions will clear this weekend in the Okanagan, in spite of the government agency's public forecast, which only calls for smoke today, Aug. 16, and tomorrow.

MacDonald says forecasting protocol at Environment Canada does not permit meteorologists to predict smoke conditions beyond the immediate two-day period.

“Essentially the story is little change in the overall weather pattern is expected over the next week," he says. "There will be slight variations in the winds, but given there are wildfires burning in every direction, in this fairly stagnant weather pattern, it’s just going to maintain the smoke in the valleys."

MacDonald says the smoke has resulted in cooler than predicted temperatures by two or three degrees over the past week. The humidity has also been higher than normal as a result of the smoke, which has benefited wildfire firefighters.

There are sunny skies above the smoke, but Okanagan residents should expect to see smoky skies and temperatures close to 30 Celsius for the next two days. The weekend may see a drop of a degree or two in temperature, but the smoky conditions will likely prevail through the weekend.

For the very latest on air quality in B.C. go here.


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