Pittsburgh Weather: Air quality remains low Thursday due to Canadian wildfire smoke
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - We are dealing with another day with poor air quality.
While this may seem, at times, like we are overdoing the health risks the risk are very real.
WEATHER LINKS:
Current Conditions | School Closings & Delays | Submit Your Weather Photos
According to the EPA, studies have shown exposure to fine particulate matter can cause premature deaths in those with heart and lung disease. Rates of heart attacks go up on days with poor air quality as well.
Fine particulate matter also causes damage to stone and rock similar to what acid rain used to do as well. The settling of these particles in our rivers and soils also has an adverse effect.
Thankfully things will improve and this isn't going to last too much longer. A warm front will sweep through on Friday just before noon, bringing an end to our poor air quality.
Looking at today's weather, highs should be back in the 80s after we just hit 73 yesterday for a high. That was well below the 78 that I forecast and a big reason for the difference was the thick pockets of haze in place along with cloud cover sticking around into the afternoon.
Haze is always fun to try to forecast highs with as you never really know how much it is going to impact highs. This isn't the first time this year that highs have been notably impacted by smoke haze.
I am not changing my highs today as most hazy days have not caused an impact on highs. Data has not budged and the HRRR model that does track smoke and haze continues to keep highs in the 80s.
I just want to quickly mention storm chances for both Friday and Saturday. Friday storms will occur in the late afternoon. Saturday's rain and storm chance is still a little up in the air but it appears the afternoon is the peak chance for stormy conditions.
Right now it looks like Sunday and Monday precip will come as mostly rain. I will keep a close eye on it though.
Stay up to date with the KDKA Mobile App – which you can download here!