Insider blog: Air quality could drop Tuesday as wildfire smoke filters into Mid-Missouri

Parts of the Upper Midwest, Great Lakes, and Northeast have spent days indoors due to thick smoke that has traveled south out of Canada, being dragged along the jet stream and bringing air quality numbers to near record levels of particulate matter.

The jet stream is expected to begin shifting this week over the Midwest as upper high pressure builds across the Rockies and moves over the Plains. Mid-Missouri will be right underneath that northwest flow on Tuesday, increasing the smoky haze over the region.

As surface winds shift north behind a cold front Tuesday afternoon, we'll notice more smoke in our area through evening before clearing out into Wednesday. With the plume of smoke being short lived, air quality will only be temporarily impacted, with more of an impact over metropolitan areas like St. Louis.

Combined ozone and particulate matter levels will be moderate over Mid-Missouri, and in the St. Louis area unhealthy for sensitive groups such as elderly people and those with breathing conditions like asthma.