Colorado Weather: Smoke Thins A Bit Sunday Before Another Thick Plume Arrives Monday

DENVER (CBS4) - Much of Colorado woke up to thick smoke coming from western wildfires on Sunday morning. In fact it was so bad that we had to use the visibility map to tell the weather story. Typically we only show the visibility when talking about fog.

The current upper air pattern over the western United States will filter more smoke into Colorado this week. A few areas will thin just a bit on Sunday before another very large plume arrives for Monday.

The CDPHE has reissued an Air Quality Alert for the entire state of Colorado. Smoke levels have hit the unhealthy category in many areas of the state with visibility under 5 miles and we'll see more of that into the afternoon on Monday.

On Saturday, Denver had the worst air quality among major cities around the world according to IQAir readings.

We will see hot and dry weather for the next few days with a continued flow of smoke moving into the state. The fire danger will also be elevated. Later in the week a ridge of high pressure should build into the central and northern Rockies. If that happens we will still have hazy skies, but it will deflect the thickest smoke off to the north and east of Colorado.

For today we are expecting highs statewide to be in the 80s and 90s with some 70s across the highest elevations. Expect more of the same for the rest of the week and keep your fingers crossed that the upper air pattern will shift this thick smoke away from us by Thursday and Friday.