Hazy Days Ahead: Wildfire Smoke and Dust Headed for West Michigan

Spring has sprung, summer is coming soon, and West Michigan is about to get hit with some of the worst air quality that we've seen in a while.

Why Is It So Smoky in West Michigan?

Not only are we going to be dealing with hazy skies due to the smoke from Canadian wildfires out to the west, but we also have dust moving in from the south that will impact us later next week.

Our friends over at FOX-17 say that the smoke from wildfires out in Manitoba will be moving their way into the region starting today (Friday) and potentially lingering. Folks in Michigan's Upper Peninsula were already able to smell the smoke as of Friday morning.

Does anyone else smell smoke this morning?
byu/tinyE1138 inupperpeninsula

Meteorologist Reece Cole says that it is due, in part, to the fires themselves, but also the wind pattern in the area and a low-pressure system moving in.

Currently, the entirety of the state of Michigan is under an Air Quality Alert as smoke from the wildfires moves into the area.

How Long Will the Haze Last in West Michigan?

We should expect the hazy skies from the smoke to move out sometime around midday on Saturday.

READ MORE: Confused by Weather Alerts? Your Guide to Staying Safe in Michigan

BUT... hazy skies could return.

What Is a Saharan Dust Plume?

A "Saharan dust plume" has made its way up into the United States. And while the biggest impact will be on southern states, we'll see effects from it here in the Midwest, as well.

According to the Indiana Weather Network, this dust is expected to travel north. While it shouldn't affect our air quality, according to IWN, it can make things hazy. This dust actually originated in Africa, made its way west, and is now traveling up through Mexico and into the United States.

With the way trajectory that the dust is moving into Indiana, it's not out of the question for us to see the lingering effects of it here in West Michigan.