If there is any consolation to wind gusts above 30 mph Wednesday afternoon, the winds could disperse the thick smoke in the Flint Hills air Wednesday morning.
Numerous controlled burns across and near the KVOE listening area have generated a lot of particulate matter, meaning smoky conditions areawide. AirNow.gov indicates air quality were either unhealthy or very unhealthy for the pre-sunrise hours just outside Emporia. Those categories mean recommendations to limit or avoid outdoor physical activity and to either go or stay inside for cleaner air.
Very unhealthy air can be considered as Category 4 for air quality. Category 5 would be considered hazardous air conditions.
The morning air quality belies some notable changes in the weather — and soon. Fire danger will be high to very high Wednesday afternoon and evening, due to a wind shift from north to south, the gusts between 30-40 mph and relative humidity levels briefly below 30 percent. Chase and Osage counties are under burn bans until further notice because of the conditions.
South winds will eventually pump more moisture across the area, leading to a slight chance of showers and storms by early Thursday and increasing chances of rainfall through Thursday night. Friday currently has a marginal severe weather risk along and south of a line from Matfield Green to Hilltop to near Iola while southwest Chase County and most of Greenwood counties are in a slight severe weather risk for Sunday and all area counties are currently in a slight risk for Monday. Rain chances actually last through at least Tuesday.
KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media will have updates.
