SALT LAKE CITY — Utahns would be excused if they woke up Wednesday thinking the calendar had jumped to February and a winter inversion had set in.
Hazy, smoky skies tarnished the normally clear morning views seen around northern Utah during the summer. The Salt Lake Valley was completely covered up when seen through the FOX 13 News Mountain Cam.
So what's to blame for the unsightly conditions, and even more important, will it clear out ahead of Salt Lake City's moment in the nationwide spotlight when the Utes host Florida on Thursday night.
“What we're looking at now is actually smoke from a lot of the very large fires that are out in northern California and southern Oregon," explained Basil Newmerzhycky, Meteorologist for Great Basin Predictive Services.
Newmerzhycky said the monsoonal moisture expected for the rest of the week should dampen the smoke we're seeing in Utah.
Smoke from nearby wildfires in the Pacific Northwest have made their way into Utah, causing visibility to drop and creating unhealthy conditions for sensitive groups. Everyone is being warned about keeping outdoor activities to a minimum for most of the day.
If you're behind the front in N UT, you may have noticed some wildfire smoke in the air from the Pacific Northwest. Smoke concentrations will decrease this afternoon and evening. Here's what one of our models thinks will happen through the day. #utwx pic.twitter.com/SRPwg8UZaT
— NWS Salt Lake City (@NWSSaltLakeCity) August 30, 2023
“Not all air pollution is created equal, said Dr. Brian Moench, President of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, “Wildfire smoke is probably the most toxic type of air pollution the average person is ever exposed to.
Dr. Moench suggested people stay indoors as much as possible.
“People shouldn't be out exercising in this,” said Moench, “They should be doing everything they can to protect themselves when they're outside on a day like this. I recommend that they wear masks. If they have air purifiers at home, they should have them on full blast.”
Newmerzhycky said these tips will be important, especially for the wildfire potential in Northern Utah moving forward.
"We're feeling pretty confident that in the southern third of the state this next monsoonal surge will probably put a lid on very large fire potential for the rest of the season. But by the time we get to September 10, September 15, we get a strong wind event. At that point, we could possibly still see some large fires," said Newmerzhycky.
Thankfully, conditions are expected to improve later Wednesday, and even more so Thursday, allowing Salt Lake City to shine on national television during Utah's season opener vs. the Gators.
