Smoky skies in Saskatchewan caused by wildfires in U.S.: Environment Canada

The smoke you see in the air is in fact from the United States.

That’s according to Sara Hoffman, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada.

“We had a pattern change aloft. And that means that the winds at the higher levels of the atmosphere switched to being from the southwest,” she said Monday.

“It’s pushing all that smoke northward, bringing very reduced air quality values to southern B.C., including Vancouver.”

Hoffman didn’t expect the air quality to deteriorate drastically Monday, but the change in the pattern did move the smoke through the prairies, as far east as Manitoba.

“At this point in time, we don’t anticipate the smoke to be having any other effect other than creating some pretty sunrises and pretty sunsets, save for Tuesday afternoon,” she said.

On Tuesday, a cold front will swing through the province, creating an “arctic air dome” Wednesday onward.

“There is the potential for that cold front to mix down ahead of (the smoke) from aloft. So there is the potential for a spike in air quality values there,” Hoffman said.

“It’s not a slam dunk that it will mix down the smoke, however, there’s a very good chance of it.”

Air quality advisories are only issued when the air quality index is 7 or greater. Those with pre-existing health conditions may feel the smoke when the index sits at 3 to 6.

Currently, both Saskatoon and Regina sit at an air quality index of 3.

Former Regina MP Ralph Goodale also chimed in about the smoke in Regina on Twitter on Monday afternoon.

Smoke obscured sun over Regina today – more severe cycles of storms, floods, droughts and wildfires are the consequences of climate change. pic.twitter.com/9CvqhQZWkJ

— Ralph Goodale (@RalphGoodale) September 14, 2020

Saskatchewan had a break from thick wildfire smoke in 2020. Typically, the smoke comes from B.C., Alberta and northern Saskatchewan, according to Hoffman.

“We haven’t really had to deal with wildfire smoke until late this summer, whereas in previous years, it was more of an ongoing issue throughout the whole summer,” she said.