How wildfire smoke will move across Canada this week

CTV Atlantic meteorologist Kalin Mitchell recaps the weekend rain amounts and gives a forecast for Tuesday showers.

A continued movement south and east of wildfire smoke from blazes in northern BC, northern Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and northern Ontario is expected through the first half of this week. An area of high pressure out of the north is likely to stagnate smoke in the vicinity of the wildfires by the end of the week.

Air quality alerts persist

At the start of this week, wildfire smoke is densest and closest to the surface in northeastern BC, northern Alberta, central and eastern Manitoba, and parts of Northern Ontario.

A series of Air Quality Statements and Warnings remains in effect by Environment Canada. Statements generally caution on minor irritants from the presence of wildfire smoke and possible more adverse impacts for those with existing respiratory issues.

Air Quality Warnings are typically issued for locations experiencing more widespread and persistent heavy smoke conditions. The warnings caution that the heavy smoke conditions put everyone’s health at risk regardless of age or health status.

Low pressure moves smoke east

The counterclockwise motion in the atmosphere created by two low pressure systems will move wildfire smoke into the Great Lakes region, U.S. Midwest, and southern Quebec through Wednesday.

The one positive with the low-pressure systems is that they will be associated with some areas of rain. Rain can help clean the fine particulate matter that comprises the wildfire smoke from the atmosphere.

Parts of Atlantic Canada can expect some of that wildfire smoke being pushed by the lows late Wednesday into Thursday. For that part of the country the smoke is very likely to be thin and high enough not to impact air quality.

Smoke stagnates Thursday, Friday

High pressure developing out of the Northwest Territories and moving down the border of Manitoba and Ontario will cut off the flow of smoke to the east at the end of this week.

The high-pressure system will also work to stagnate the weather pattern and movement of the wildfire smoke in the Prairies Thursday and Friday. A low-pressure system stalling out near the southwestern corner of Alberta will also stall the movement east of the smoke and potentially give it a slight westward movement on Friday.

Areas on Friday likely to be in the vicinity of the densest plumes of smoke include parts of northern Manitoba, northern Saskatchewan, northern Alberta, and northeastern BC.