ROANOKE, Va. –
Folks across Southwest and Central Virginia are seeing some hazy skies this afternoon, and you might have noticed the air feels a bit different. The smoke from Canadian wildfires has pushed the Air Quality Index (AQI) up to 79 as of 2:45 p.m., putting our area near the upper end of the “moderate” range. AQI values had been in the 60s over the past few days, so this is a noticeable jump.
This means anyone unusually sensitive to respiratory irritants should consider limiting outdoor time as the haze lingers.
The good news? Rain is forecast to help clear the air soon.
Current above-average temperatures
Temperatures this afternoon have already reached levels that are above average for this time of year. However, while it’s hot, it doesn’t feel too muggy for most areas because dew point readings are still mostly in the 50s.
Enjoy this dry air while it lasts; these dew point values will increase as we move towards the weekend.
Rain and thunderstorm forecast for the coming days
If you’re hoping for some relief from the hazy and dry conditions, rain is on the way. Showers are forecast to develop tonight, mostly affecting the southern parts of the New River Valley and Southside areas. Most places are likely to stay dry until Friday, when scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to pop up around lunchtime and become more widespread into the afternoon. Some spots could see heavy downpours and gusty winds, but severe weather is not expected.
This pattern is set to repeat on Saturday, with more scattered storms in the forecast for the afternoon.
The rain over the next few days is expected to help improve air quality as well!