An addition to midsummer conditions: wildfire smoke

This (Wednesday) morning's sunrise was tinted more orange than normal thanks to wildfire smoke aloft in the atmosphere. This color satellite loop shows a band of smoke draped from the Midwestern states southeast across Virginia and out over the Atlantic:

The smoke is from wildfires burning across the Canadian province of Ontario. It is being lofted into the upper air and is then being pushed south along the edge of a high pressure system. For the next couple of days the smoke looks to remain overhead, but it will eventually mix down to the surface. Expect a smoky smell by Friday to accompany colorful sunrises and sunsets and lead to a reduction in air quality.

This morning began with temperatures in the low to mid-60s across Mecklenburg County. Despite forecast highs in the mid-90s this afternoon, the dew points will remain in the relatively comfortable range. Thus the "stickiness factor" won't be too bad today. Tomorrow both temperatures and dew points will be higher so expect more uncomfortable conditions. 

That said, the high temperature forecasts in the upper 90s for the latter half of this week could be a bit high. That wildfire smoke may block enough sunlight to reduce those daily highs by a few degrees. The numerical weather forecast models don't always account for such limitations. However, high humidity levels will still be a factor.