DENVER (KDVR) — Skies across many areas of Colorado have been hazy this week, largely due to fires in other states, and the smoke is expected to stick around.
On Thursday, hazy skies in Denver covered what would normally be a view of the Front Range, leaving a faint line on the horizon where the mountain peaks are.
Thursday is a Pinpoint Weather Alert Day with chances for storms in the Denver metro area, but meteorologists don’t expect the storms to do much to help when it comes to clearing the hazy skies.
When will skies be smoky vs. clear?
Skies will likely be somewhat clearer later in the day, but FOX31 Pinpoint Weather Meteorologist Travis Michels expects the haze to stick around and explains why there is a pattern.
Later in the day, as the temperatures cool, the air becomes more stable and the smoke gets trapped at a lower altitude, and it can get dense. Smoke builds in after midnight and worsens in the early morning hours as there is less wind, allowing smoke to settle. Michels said this is why some Denverites may have smelled smoke early on Thursday.
Denver weather: Why hot days have higher chances for hail, severe storms
As the daytime heat builds up, however, unequal temperatures and unequal pressures make the air less stale and create wind, which can make skies clearer later in the day. It’s the same reason why afternoon storms are common in Denver, and why hotter temperatures increase severe weather risks like hail and wind.
Days of smoky skies forecast across Colorado
Michels said weather forecasting models for the coming days do not show much hope of clearer skies as of Thursday morning…