FRIDAY’S WEATHER: Dry, sunny haze with Code Orange air quality alert in effect

Weather conditions are staying dry and sunny in metro Atlanta, and haze from Canadian wildfires will still be in the air Friday as a Code Orange air quality alert has been issued. But it’s not caused by the smoke, Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said.

A Code Orange alert means people with respiratory issues, older adults and children are at greater risk from exposure to ground-level ozone, which is a major component of smog. People in those groups should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors.

The alert, issued Thursday afternoon, is caused by sunlight interacting with pollutants, such as vehicle exhaust and other emissions from power plants and industrial boilers, and creates ozone. This often happens in the summer months when there is little wind and prolonged sunlight, especially during peak traffic times.

The level of pollutants may be elevated due to the slow-moving Canadian airmass, according to AirNow, which keeps track of air quality changes. But, while “there’s still gonna be that little haze out there, it’s not thick enough for that to cause air quality alerts here,” Monahan said.

If you see a haze in the metro Atlanta sky, Canadian wildfires are to blame.For weeks hundreds of wildfires have been burning across Canada.The smoke from the fires has been blowing into the northern U.S., causing hazardous air quality conditions.The smoke will create mainly a visual effect in metro Atlanta. .The smoke should clear out of the metro area and will continue drifting south towards areas near the Florida border

That smokey haze should mostly clear out overnight as it continues drifting southeast.

Friday’s high temperature will warm up into the mid-80s by the afternoon after a cool morning in the upper 50s and low 60s. No rain is in sight, so it’s a perfect day to enjoy the outdoors.

If you don’t get a chance to get outside today, don’t worry because the weekend is kicking off with another dry, sunny day. Saturday will get a bit warmer, though, with the high climbing up near 90 degrees.

Things cool down just a bit on Sunday when the high is expected to stay in the mid-80s, and rain returns to the forecast as a warm front lifts through the area. Isolated storms or showers are possible through the first half of next week.