Wildfire smoke in Chicago: Air Quality Alert in effect Thursday. Here's what to know
Wildfire smoke in Chicago: Air Quality Alert in effect Thursday. Here's what to know
JD Rudd has your weather update!
CHICAGO - The heat has a firm grip on us and will not let go for at least a few more days. However, our attention is turning to the incoming wildfire smoke from the wildfires in Canada.
Expect clouds to increase overnight tonight and lows hanging in the middle 70s. The humidity will make it feel a bit warmer.
Wildfire smoke coming to Chicago area
Wildfire smoke could be visible in Chicago area early Thursday.
Pockets of smoke and haze will drift into our northern counties overnight into Thursday morning.
An Air Quality Alert is in place for Thursday with the ozone levels and smoke particles expected. We'll see a smokey sky in some of our northern locales, while the rest of us deal with a partly cloudy sky.
It's possible a few spotty showers and rumbles will develop in our southernmost areas by the afternoon. Highs will still be in the lower 90s with a little humidity.
Smoke and haze will likely linger into Friday, especially farther north. Once again, highs in the 90s and a partly cloudy sky. There is still a chance for a few spotty thunderstorms, but the newest data has reduced the overall chance and coverage area. So it's possible many of us get dry on Friday.
RELATED: Wildfire smoke will bring hazy skies to Chicago this week: Here's the timeline
Looking ahead:
Wash, rise, repeat for Saturday: Lower 90s for highs, a small chance for some spotty thunderstorms in the late afternoon, and a partly to mostly cloudy sky with some smoke in some cases.
For the second half of the weekend, temperatures may slip a few more degrees and that would hold us in the 80s. Morning lows remain in the lower 70.
Another small chance for thunderstorms on Monday with highs in the upper 80s. Then temperatures may fall into the lower 80s for Tuesday and Wednesday under a partly cloudy sky.