Improving air quality today, mild pattern ending, hot conditions heading into the weekend

Today the air quality is much better as the favorable flow of wind has not been from an area with a lot of smoke. The light rain also helped scour out the smoke to some degree so we are enjoying a brief break from the nasty smoke we had to endure yesterday and over the weekend.  We also are looking at another mild to warm day with highs getting into the low 80s.

The forecast for the rest of the week will not be as mild.  The heat is expected to build back into the region and by the end of the work week we may be back into the low 100s.  Mostly sunny skies and dry air once again will be the order of the day. 

The heat will not be a welcomed portion of the forecast for several reasons. The most obvious will be how the heat impacts our bodies, so once again we are going to have to limit outdoor activities, stay in the shade and drink plenty of water. Another issue with the heat will be the drying out factor with respect to our fuel source for our massive wildfires.  The heat also increases the fire behavior as the rising air generates some wind at certain points in the day, and wind and flames are not favorable for fire suppression.

Currently there are over 100 active wildfires in the state of Oregon and five of them are over 100,000 acres classifying them as megafires. This hot and dry pattern will not be kind to the firefighting efforts.  Be mindful of anything that may start a fire, and stay aware of the dangers. 

Stay Safe

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