Updated forecast: Wind could blow smoke from Modesto area before rain arrives

The first break from the Modesto area’s smoke could come not from the rain expected Wednesday, but from a change in wind direction Tuesday.

The National Weather Service forecasts haze from the Butte County wildfire until about 10 a.m. Tuesday, then sunny skies and a high of 68 in the afternoon.

The wind is expected to blow north from the fire zone Tuesday, meteorologist Eric Kurth said by phone Monday from the Weather Service office in Sacramento. That could mean several hours of clear, dry conditions in Modesto before the rain arrives.

It would be the first substantial storm of the weather year, which runs from July 1 to June 30. Most of the Modesto area’s rain tends to fall from November to March, but it is off to a slow start this autumn.

The storm also could bring snow to middle and upper elevations of the Sierra Nevada, the main water source for the San Joaquin Valley.

The smoke prompted closure of California State University, Stanislaus, and Modesto Junior College through Thanksgiving weekend. MJC announced its decision Monday afternoon after monitoring conditions.

MJC and Columbia College will be hit Tuesday and Wednesday of next week with a faculty strike related to a contract dispute. The administration said it does not plan to cancel classes during the action.

Schools from kindergarten through 12th grade have remained open amid the smoke but kept students inside during recess and lunch. That practice continued Monday, except for the Turlock and Oakdale school districts, which have week-long Thanksgiving breaks.

The Weather Service sees an 80 percent chance of rain Wednesday, starting at about 4 a.m. Rain is likely on the holiday and Friday. A total of up to an inch is expected.

Officials urged motorists to check their windshield wiper blades, which can crack in our long summers, and to watch out for accumulated oil that can make roads slick.

This story was originally published November 19, 2018 at 4:30 PM with the headline "Updated forecast: Wind could blow smoke from Modesto area before rain arrives."