After several soggy days, metro Atlanta is having a weekend of sun.
But winds blowing from the northwest — where the Canadian province of Manitoba is battling unprecedented wildfires — will also bring a smoky haze to Georgia.
National Weather Service modeling shows it could reach as far south as LaGrange to Macon to Augusta.
“We had a cold front bringing rain and storms (Friday), so our winds overall have turned to the northwest,” said Peachtree City-based National Weather Service meteorologist Meredith Wyatt.
“Those winds are bringing that smoky, hazy look further south.”
It might look like very high, wispy “cirrus” clouds today, she said, but it’s “just the smoke.”
The haze will likely last through this evening and overnight, but “hopefully will clear up for (Sunday),” she said.
Atlanta’s air quality will be “moderate” today; those who are “unusually sensitive” to particle pollution should consider reducing active outdoor time, according to Environmental Protection Agency data.
The Canadian province of Manitoba declared a state of emergency over the fires this week, which are burning in every region of the province, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported.
About 17,000 people have evacuated, and about 100 American firefighters have deployed to help.
Canadian officials warned the next few days of firefighting will be tough given hot and dry weather in the forecast.
“Pray for rain,” the province’s top official, Premier Wab Kinew, told reporters Friday.
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