Smoke from multiple wildfires burning across Northern California has reached the Bay Area, causing hazy skies and a blazing orange sun.
The smoke – a combined product of the McFarland, Monument and River Complex fires – drifted into the Bay Area late Thursday and is hanging around throughout the day Friday. It’s particularly visible in the North Bay as residents of Napa, Sonoma and Solano counties have shared pictures of smoky, hazy skies on social media.
According to visuals posted to Twitter by the National Weather Service, residents in the North Bay and along the peninsula will feel impacts of "near surface" smoke until 7 p.m. Friday.
Meteorologists are counting on an afternoon and evening sea breeze to push the smoke further inland and upwards.
It was predicted that the breeze started around 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday.
Many air quality sensors are still lighting up green around the Bay Area despite the influx of smoke because the smoke is aloft, experts explained. It is currently hanging at around 3,000-4,000 feet with minimal filtration down to lower-levels.
Lighter smoke will linger throughout the weekend.
Other wildfire smoke "that will mostly be suspended and not immediately impact the surface level" will "obscure the sky and dull the sun" for much of the weekend, meteorologists said.
This smoke tends to lead to dramatic sunrise and sunset pictures.
Purple Air maps continue to show worsening air quality across the North Bay. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued an air quality advisory because of the smoke, set to expire on Saturday.
Bay Area residents are advised to keep their windows and doors shut.
Air quality is expected to be moderate.
