First Alert Weather: Smoky haze lingers over Tri-State; Air Quality Alerts in effect

Thick haze and smoke continue to engulf the region. Conditions are slightly improved from Tuesday evening, when the look was very much post-apocalyptic, but the scent of campfire is still very much prevalent. 

This minor respite will be short-lived however, as conditions deteriorate once again when we reach into the afternoon and evening hours. Visibilities will be very low and may even be worse than on Tuesday evening. Air quality remains an issue, with an Air Quality Alert in place for most of the Tri-State Area.

In terms of actual weather, the sun will be out today, but good luck finding it through the layers of haze. There is a slight chance of spotty showers in the afternoon and evening. No thunderstorms are expected though. Temps will be right around average, with a high of 77. 

For tonight, the haze lingers. It will be rather cool, with a low of 56 in the city, while the northwestern suburbs will drop into the 50s. Thursday will see some improvement in the hazy conditions. The tradeoff will be an enhanced chance of showers. It will be cooler with a high of 74.