Smoke will return to Ontario this week after a brief break Monday
Southern Ontario will see a brief reprieve from smoky skies Monday before reduced air quality returns
We’re finally on track for a brief breather from the wildfire smoke that’s gripped southern Ontario for the past four days.
A wind shift moving into the region Monday will help flush out some of the low-level smoke that’s bathed the region since late last week.
The break won’t last long. Another wind shift arriving Tuesday will again place southern Ontario directly downwind from the wildfires.
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Many communities throughout southern Ontario have suffered through their worst air quality since 2023 after large amounts of wildfire smoke began pushing into the region last Thursday.
We’ll catch a short-lived reprieve Monday as a trough moves over the province, dragging in southerly winds that will sweep much of the smoke out of southern Ontario. This trough could even spark some thunderstorms across the region.
It won’t last long, unfortunately.
Upper-level winds are primed to deliver another bout of poor air quality across Ontario as our steering flow develops out of the northwest—putting the province directly downwind of the wildfires.
Tuesday will see dense smoke spill across northwestern Ontario and move toward Lake Superior. We’re also on track for reduced air quality in southern Ontario as some smoke makes its way into the area.
Wednesday looks even worse. Winds blowing directly from the fires toward the Great Lakes will bring dense smoke and poor air quality to most of Ontario.
The return of reduced air quality could prove irritating to vulnerable people, such as those living with chronic respiratory problems. Take precautions to protect yourself from the smoky skies.
Header satellite image courtesy of NOAA.