Wildfire smoke obscures a sunset in central Nebraska, (Brian Neben, Courtesy)
KEARNEY — The Canadian wildfire smoke overspreading the area has proven stubborn to dislodge and an Air Quality Alert remains in place until Friday afternoon.
All the eastern and most of the central parts of Nebraska remain under the alert until 3 p.m. Friday. The haze should thin out this evening and overnight, per National Weather Service – Hastings.
As of Friday morning, the air quality index was 85 in Kearney, which is considered poor; 101, unhealthy, in Grand Island and 91, or poor, in Hastings.
A cold front pushing through the region late tonight should help to clear out the remainder of smoke and haze.
Most areas should receive beneficial rainfall over the weekend, with severe weather being a possibility Saturday from a line west extending from Plainville, Kan., to Greeley. Large hail and damaging wind will be the main threats.
Various small chances for precipitation will continue across the region as weak westerly flow continues aloft, with a few thunderstorms creeping back into the local forecast next Thursday night or Friday, according to NWS Hastings.
Cooler, more seasonal temperatures, will settle in behind the cold front, with high temperatures likely in the 60s to start the week and only climbing into mid-70s by the end of the work week.
