Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - While the smoke plume from Canadian wildfires continues to adversely impact the air quality in Buffalo and Western New York, some improvement is in sight and a pattern change next week should offer more permanent relief.
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"I don't think conditions will be quite as bad as it was yesterday," National Weather Service meteorologist Bob Hamilton tells WBEN early Thursday. "We're going to have a lot of cloud cover ... it won't be as noticeable."
An Air Quality Alert is posted for all of WNY due to the fine particulates embedded in the air.
"You may still smell the smoke from time to time, especially during the midday and afternoon, but at this point it doesn't look like it's going to be quite as bad as it was yesterday," says Hamilton.
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Some spotty rain showers are in the forecast, but Hamilton tells us any relief that provides with regard to the smoke conditions will be 'very temporary'. Hamilton is not anticipating any showers in the immediate Buffalo vicinity.
There is a change to note that should offer some long term relife from the smoke in Western New York.
"A significant shift in the weather pattern is expected by early next week, as a storm may form over the Midwest," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson said. "[This] will completely shift the winds and force the smoke back to the north in Canada."
While there have been improvements in the air quality alerts for Western New York, the Buffalo Public School District is continuing all restrictions on outside activities on Friday, June 9.
Due to the fluid nature of the air quality challenges faced in the entire Northeast, the District says it will continue to monitor all information and recommendations and adjust if appropriate.