First Warning Forecast | Haze Sticks Around Through Saturday

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - A few clouds will scrape through the northeastern counties up I-79, and places closer to Clarksburg and Morgantown can see a brief shower, but we’ll stay dry and quite-pleasant this afternoon. High temperatures will be in the mid to upper 70s, with a refreshing breeze and low humidity. With the high-quality feel also comes the low-quality air. The chief concern will be for small particulate matter (2.5 micrometers and smaller), the kind that gets carried by smoke and can be ingested through the lungs. We’ll be several times higher than the guideline level for healthy air, but will only really be a problem for folks that are already compromised and vulnerable toward respiratory distress. It’s a lot worse for folks toward the east coast. The weather will still be most excellent for the concerts and festivals this evening, with the smoke beginning to ease as soon as tonight.

The Saturday-Sunday timeframe will see a nice reprieve from the worst of the smoke and haze, but one of the consequences is that bolder Sun will channel hotter temperatures. Saturday afternoon will reach the lower 80s, and Sunday the upper 80s. It will be a great time to get to the pool, or take advantage of the free fishing weekend in West Virginia, but any one heading outside for more than an hour had better be lathered up in sunscreen, and don’t forget to re-apply when you get out of the pool. By Sunday evening, a line of rain and thunder finally approaches from the west, aiming to break up the rain-free monotony we’ve been under. Monday will be the wetter day, and between Sunday night and Monday itself most of us should see about an inch of rain. The lawn and garden will welcome that with open arms.

Looking ahead to next week, the showers that come through on Monday will herald a comfortable easing of the heat, putting us back in the 70s (hopefully without that smoky haze this next time, but it’s been three weeks in a row thus-far). It also looks like we won’t have go nearly as long without rain the next time, so perhaps the lawn and garden will also be happy with what’s coming next.

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