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.
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.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
» For a detailed forecast, visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution weather page.
» For updated traffic information, listen to News 95.5 and AM 750 WSB and follow @wsbtraffic on Twitter.
» Download The Atlanta Journal-Constitution app for weather alerts on-the-go.
About the Author
