Lingering smoke from wildfires in northern California and Canada is expected to clear Friday as temperatures drop to the low 80s in the Steamboat Springs area.

According to local meteorologist Mike Weissbluth, who posts twice a week forecasts to SnowAlarm.com, the drop in temperatures should clear the smoke but is also expected to bring thunderstorm chances that will continue through Saturday.

“High temperatures will drop into the comfortable low 80s starting Friday and continuing through the weekend,” Weissbluth said in his Thursday forecast, adding that models produced by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show the smoke clearing as soon as Friday.

Weather systems are also expected to introduce moisture this weekend to the Yampa Valley including chances for strong thunderstorms Friday and Saturday afternoons, Weissbluth added.

“The localized stronger varieties (of thunderstorms) will be able to produce brief moderate to heavy rain, gusty winds and small hail,” said Weissbluth.

Dry air moving into the area Sunday should produce “for a very pleasant day with low storm chances,” he added.

Yampa River temperatures reached 74 degrees in Steamboat just after 4 p.m. Thursday and flows registered at 139 cubic feet per second, according to U.S. National Geographic Survey data.

Local regulations could see the river shut down for tubing and angler outfitters if flows fall below 85 CFS or if river temperatures exceed 75 degrees for two or more consecutive days.