Whatever convinced Prince George to stop smoking, lets hope it’s a long-term cure.
A change in wind direction was all it took to clear the sky of all that wildfire smoke that’s been choking the city for the past week. Assuming there are no new fires to the west of the city or a sudden shift in wind direction, Prince George should be in the clear for at least the next two days.
The FireSmoke.ca website which tracks the spread of wildfire smoke shows Prince George is still under a least-polluted level of smoke this afternoon, but the truth is that wind from the southwest has blown the smoke back toward its sources – the huge forest fires in northeastern B.C. and northern Alberta.
The proof is in the unobstructed views of the hills that surround the city, which had been obscured by smoke up until Thursday night.
The weather forecast for Victoria Day long weekend is showing mostly sunny and warm conditions for the next three days. That’s good news for outdoor enthusiasts who put off their hikes, runs, bike rides or paddles waiting for the clean air to return.
While there is no imminent threat of wildfires close to the city, be careful to avoid sparking the tinder-dry conditions. A campfire ban is in place for the Prince George Fire Zone.
We’re heading for a high of 26 C today, with a 30 per cent chance of showers later in the day. After an overnight low of 9 C, the heat will return Saturday with temperature approaching 25 C and the risk of rain showers increasing to 40 per cent. But that’s all the rain we have in the forecast.
Sunday will be mostly sunny with a high of 21 C and Monday we should hit 18 C under a clear sky. The high pressure system will continue to dominate north central Interior later in the week. Highs in Prince George are forecast to hit 16 Con Tuesday, 21 C on Wednesday and 23 C on Thursday.
Gardeners planting their crops this weekend will be happy to know there’s no chance of frost for the next week. The coolest low is expected on Monday when it dips to 4 C.