JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – You may have noticed a bit of a hazy sky Tuesday and Wednesday across the area.
The haze is actually smoke from the ongoing Canadian wildfires.
Yes, this is the same smoke that has blanketed parts of the Midwest and Northeast in stretches this summer.
How did it get here?
The wildfires that are ongoing in Canada are truly thousands of miles away from Southeast Georgia and Northeast Florida.
This is why the worst of the smoke has been closer to the fires, in cities like Chicago and New York.
The smoke in our area is a byproduct of an odd jet stream pattern.
The wildfire smoke has been lifted up into the atmosphere, and the jet stream helps push it around.
For the past several days, the jet stream has been buckled to the southeast. This buckling allowed the smoke to be transported into our area.
Is it dangerous?
The good news is, by the smoke plumes make it into our area, it’s not nearly as serious as in northern cities.
That’s because the atmosphere helps “mix out” some of the smoke as it is transported.
This mixing of good air and smoky air helps reduce the concentration of smoke once it gets into the region.
It should be noted that some air quality sites in the region have found levels to be unhealthy for sensitive groups, so certain individuals may want to limit time outdoors.
How long will the haze last?
The haze and smoke are expected to mix out and exit the area over the next 1-2 days.
The core of the smoke will begin to lift northeastward toward the Northeast and the Atlantic Ocean late Wednesday and Thursday.
It is possible additional plumes may drift southward toward the area, as the wildfires in Canada remain intense.
So, the smoke from Canada has moved into the area. But it looks to be short-lived and should exit the region by late week.