smoke

'You can cut it with a knife': Thick smoke keeping Bay Area temperatures cooler during trifecta of dangerous weather

ByMike Nicco KGO logo

Friday, October 2, 2020

'You can cut it with a knife': Thick smoke keeping Bay Area cooler

"Visibility as low as one mile across some Bay Area communities," said ABC7 News meteorologist Mike Nicco. The smoke is so thick it's keeping temperatures about 3 to 5 degrees cooler.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The Bay Area is dealing with another trifecta of wild weather Friday including a Red Flag Warning, dangerous heat and poor air quality, says ABC7 News meteorologist Mike Nicco.

LIVE: Track Bay Area air quality levels

For a second day in a row, the Bay Area woke up to a thick layer of wildfire smoke from the Glass Fire in Napa and Sonoma counties and the Dolan Fire in Monterey County.

"You can cut it with a knife," says Nicco. "The smoke being so thick, it's going to keep our temperatures about 3 to 5 degrees cooler."

The North Bay, the East Bay Hills, the Diablo Range and the Santa Cruz Mountains are under a Red Flag Warning until 6 a.m. Saturday.

LATEST: New fire breaks out near Yountville, CAL FIRE confirms

Those areas are getting hit with "very dry fuels, very dry air and gusty winds that could help spread those fires to the south," says Nicco. "So if you live south of fires, have your evacuation plans ready."

VIDEO: East Bay residents prepare to evacuate amid Red Flag Warning

Berkeley Hills residents were warned to have a go-bag ready in case a fire sparks and they need to evacuate.

Friday afternoon visibility was as low as one mile across some Bay Area communities, according to Nicco. It probably won't be any easier to breathe tomorrow.

"We woke up choking on unhealthy air and that will continue until at least Sunday," says Nicco. "It will continue to be poor on Monday and Tuesday for those most sensitive."

There is some relief in sight thanks to an autumn cold front coming the Gulf of Alaska and remnants of Hurricane Marie. The first thing they are going to do is bring us cooler and cleaner air Wednesday into Thursday, a chance of showers Friday and a better chance of rain Saturday, says Nicco.

"This is a game changer. On the most positive end of the spectrum, it could help put out some of these fires if the rain is heavy enough."

FIRE TRACKER: Track wildfires across San Francisco Bay Area, other parts of California with this interactive map

App users: For a better experience, click here to view the full map in a new window

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