Smoke settles in valley

Photo: BlueSky Canada

Smoke continues to blanket the province. People flying into the Okanagan get a bird's eye view of the smoke as it settles in canyons and valleys.

Environment Canada's smoky skies bulletin remains in effect and the BC Air Quality website indicates the air quality health index is listed at 7 right now for the entire Okanagan, but is expected to rise to 9 this afternoon.

The BlueSky Daily Run map and satellite imager shows just how wide-ranging and far-reaching wildfire smoke is across B.C. and North America.

Smoke forecasts are the result of a sophisticated process that involves multiple steps, agencies and software components. The BlueSky Canada smoke forecast is considered experimental because it is produced by a system that is an ongoing research project and subject to uncertainties in weather forecasts, smoke dispersion, and fire emissions. But it does provide compelling visuals and information on how prevalent smoke in our area is and what happens when the wind shifts.

The model shows much of the smoke is coming from fires south of the border and extends almost to Kenora on the border of Manitoba and Ontario.

Forecasters struggle to pinpoint exactly when the skies will clear because much of their modeling is dependent on wind. Forest fires and their resulting smoke also create there own weather patterns.

Smoke can regulate temperatures, causing lower daytime highs and lower overnight lows.

Photo: Warren Kipp