FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) – While it was very nice to have a break in that 100-degree weather for the second day in a row, there is a concern about air quality.
Where there is smoke there is fire, even when that fire is over 1,500 miles away in the Pacific Northwest.
The historic start to the West Coast fire season has produced weeks of smoke that has drifted over large parts of the United States.
The current upper air weather pattern, with a high pressure ridge anchored over the west coast, has driven some of that smoke into North Texas.
Skycam Fort Worth showing haze
The smoke was very noticeable on Tuesday morning, August 3.
As the daytime heating warms the surface, air starts to lift and “mix out.”
This also lowers the dew point in the afternoon (the air is drier above the surface).
It can also disperse the thicker smoke that collects near the surface at night when there is little or no mixing going on.
As the air cools overnight it forms what we call an inversion; cooler more stable air is trapped under warmer air just above the surface.
There will be another AIR QUALITY ALERT on Wednesday, August 4.
While ozone is the main culprit, smoke particles will also come into play.
It is recommended that those who suffer from respiratory issues stay inside, especially during the afternoon and early evening when the ozone counts are the highest.
