The smoke from the ongoing wildfires in the province’s Interior that has been inundating the Cowichan Valley and much of Vancouver Island for more than a week should begin to dissipate by this weekend.
The changing weather pattern that will see the end of the smoke will bring with it cooler temperatures and cloudy skies, but also much-needed rain to the tinder-dry Cowichan Valley.
Cindy Yu, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, said the ridge of high pressure that has been hovering over the Island producing hot and dry conditions and drawing in the smoke to the coast from the Interior will finally give way to a low pressure system on Friday.
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That will see the wind switch to the south west, which will push the smoke back inland and away from Vancouver Island.
“The rain that will be part of the changing weather patterns will help redeposit the fine particulate matter that is in the air with the smoke back into the ground,” Yu said.
“That will see a great improvement in the region’s air quality as a result.”
But Yu said the Valley could be facing several days of cloudy skies and showers beginning late in the day on Saturday and continuing through the weekend.
She said the temperatures will drop into the mid 20s on Friday and will drop further into the low 20s on Sunday through to Tuesday.
“But we could see some sunny breaks on Monday and Tuesday,” Yu said.
