ST. LOUIS — The air quality is moderate, not dangerous in the St. Louis area Tuesday. But, don’t be surprised if you smell a hint of smoke in the air. The Litchfield Fire Department says that the hazy conditions outside are from the Canadian wildfires. The smoke now stretches from the US border through Chicago and down to Quincy, Illinois along the Mississippi River.
Wildfire smoke from Canada has brought air quality levels to unhealthy levels in Chicago and much of the Midwest. Chicago currently has the worst air quality in the world right now.
The National Weather Service reports that the smoke will push southwest into portions of the St. Louis area this afternoon and into Wednesday morning. Visibility will be reduced, and the smell will linger in the air.
Hot and dry conditions in Missouri have led to some local brush fires. The Warren County Emergency Management Agency reports that they responded to two of them yesterday which took up hours of their time to keep under control. They advise caution when burning anything outside.
The good news is that rain is in the forecast the rest of this week. Spot showers are expected Wednesday and Thursday. The chances for more rain go up Friday into the weekend.