First Alert Sunday for unhealthy air quality in western North Carolina

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) – Smoky conditions have fanned out over the region, reaching unhealthy levels in some areas.

We are now calling a First Alert Weather Day for western North Carolina through Sunday. Wildfires in the area have created high levels of smoke in the atmosphere, which are expected to persist throughout the day on Sunday. Air Quality Alerts have been issued until midnight Sunday for Macon, Henderson, and Polk Counties, where conditions will be unhealthy for everyone. Limit time outdoors and keep windows closed until conditions improve.

Smoke has been drifting south across parts of the Upstate and northeastern Georgia, leading to hazy conditions and a distinct smell of smoke in the air. While this has not risen to unhealthy levels, hazy conditions will continue at times overnight and into Sunday. Skies will remain generally clear outside of a few high clouds with little to no wind. Lows overnight will settle to the upper 30s and low 40s, and then warm into the upper 60s to low 70s on Sunday.

The rest of the forecast changes little from day to day this week. Mostly sunny skies will continue Monday through Thursday, with highs gradually warming into the middle and upper 70s by midweek. Friday offers up the chance for some showers when a new cold arrives, and a few may stick around into Sunday morning before giving way to clearer skies. Highs will dip back to the low and mid 60s on Saturday.

Don’t forget that Daylight Saving Time comes to an end tonight. Clocks will turn back one hour at 2:00 AM, so make sure to adjust any of your clocks that don’t do it automatically. This will push our sunrise and sunset times up an hour, with the sun now rising just before 7:00 AM, and setting around 5:30 PM. At least we’ll get an extra hour to enjoy Sunday’s warmer weather!

Copyright 2023 WHNS. All rights reserved.