HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Have you noticed a haziness within the sky recently? It's not because of the Saharan Dust later this time... it's because of the wildfires in the western part of the United States, specifically Nevada and California.
The 500 mb level of the atmosphere is pictured above. This is where we like to look at the jet stream, which is defined as a narrow band of strong winds in the atmosphere that controls the movement of high and low-pressure systems and associated fronts.
High pressure systems rotate clockwise while low pressure systems rotate counter clockwise. The high pressure system out in the west is why the smoke is being brought into the Tennessee Valley. The smoke is in some way wrapping itself around the high pressure system and following the jet stream into the Valley.
Not only will this smoke create a haziness to the sky, it can also create vibrant sunsets and cause breathing issues for sensitive groups, like people who suffer from asthma.