Another bad air day across North Coast

Hazy smoke was expected to linger over much of Sonoma County today as fires continue to rage to the north. Air quality in Mendocino County is worse, with poor visibility near fire areas adding to breathing problems.

Bay Area Air Quality Management has declared a third straight unhealthy air day and is recommending people forgo outdoor activities and undue exertion today because of the poor air quality.

The warning is expected to be lessened to moderate on Saturday when only unusually sensitive people should avoid undue exertion.

Santa Rosa is expected to hit a high of 87 downtown today, with winds picking up to about 20 miles an hour in the afternoon after early morning breezes.

But those winds are not expected to be heavy enough to clear out the thick smoke that has been hovering for days as thousands of acres in Northern California burn.

“It’ll be a little bit cooler tomorrow at 84 but it’s not going to feel much cooler,” said Diana Henderson, forecaster with the U.S. Weather Service.

By Monday, temperatures are expected to dip down into the high 70s and low 80s.