Smoke, In the Slight Risk Box From the SPC

Smoke from the fires in Georgia and Florida has moved into Central North Carolina today. I was just out on a lunch appointment and the air is hazy and just horrible to breath. The NOAA office here in Raleigh issued the following statement on the smoke this morning.

.NOW...

STRONG SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS OF 35 TO 40 MPH JUST OFF THE SURFACE WILL
SPREAD A SMOKE PLUME ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA THROUGH
NOON TODAY. THE SMOKE PLUME ORIGINATES FROM WILDFIRES IN PARTS OF
SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND NORTHERN FLORIDA. AS THE AIR TEMPERATURES
CONTINUES TO HEAT UP...THE SMOKE PLUME SHOULD GRADUALLY LIFT
HIGHER IN THE ATMOSPHERE AND BECOME LESS CONCENTRATED. UNTIL
THEN...THE SMOKE PLUME WILL CAUSE HAZY CONDITIONS...REDUCING
VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS TO 3 TO 5 MILES. PERSONS WHO SUFFER FROM
ASTHMA OR OTHER BREATHING AILMENTS SHOULD LIMIT OUTDOOR EXPOSURE
TODAY.

You really can't see the haze in this picture I took with my cell phone from the car, but it is there. The SPC has moved Central NC into the slight risk box for severe storms this evening as a strong cold front moves through the area. I'm hoping to finally capture some nice video of the storm this afternoon. I think I'll stick to just taking the video camera with me today so I don't try and do both photographs and video. I drive myself crazy trying to do both sometimes. So for now I am sitting by the radar and waiting for action. If I need to head north to the Virginia border to find it, I'll do that.

One more thing I have to share with you today. Here is a video of kids playing outside during a storm who are almost hit by lightning. PLEASE teach your kids about storm safety and get them inside during a storm!

SCM