More smoke floating around + rain on temporary hold

Wildfires continue across the west and smoke has once again reentered our Kansas air. However, with this latest go around, most of it appears to be mid and upper levels. Two fires in particular, the Dixie and Caldor fires are contributing some of the most smoke. The Dixie fire is over 600,000 acres, but it sounds like some of it has been contained. 

Smoke in the mid and upper levels will give us the dramatic sunrise and sunset photos that we have been showing on the air all summer. However, air quality down near the ground won't be as bad thanks to a steady south wind bringing in air from better regions. The image below shows upper level smoke. White arrows show which way the wind is blowing FROM at roughly 18k feet.

More hazy skies are expected throughout Kansas come Thursday as the upper level winds come from the southwest. However, the plume may not be as thick for the end of the week, but it may still be noticeable in the early morning and late evening.

Late week storms:

I'm saddened to tell you that rain for the end of this week is not looking good at all. Models continue to show a cold front coming in, but almost all of the rain will travel north of Kansas. It's great news for Montana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas. Kansas is too far south to get the brunt of the moisture.

Thursday evening: Chances are mainly in the northwest. They will be scattered storms at best, but not very widespread in their coverage. Expect rain amounts less than .25" - these storms are not likely to stall for any length of time, so even where we do get storms, it doesn't look like very much rain.

Storms Friday? - not likely. Even though a front is coming through, chances remain slim. Midlevel temperatures may be too warm and much of the upper level energy will be too far north. A couple of late night storms are possible, but definitely not likely.

The final heat wave of summer? We know it is coming and as we coast into late August, I would expect this to be it. But models have struggled SO much lately finding the cool air. Sunday - Tuesday look HOT! We may see some 100s again, especially in western Kansas. All of the computers shift the big heat dome back to the west quickly, so it will cool down in the second half of next week. 

 

Rainfall forecast for the next 10 days: Great news for the northern Plains as drought easing moisture is coming. In Kansas, the best we can hope for now are some scattered storm chances mid-late next week with another cold front on the way.