Why does the sky look so muted?
The sky has looked odd the last few days. The answer: pollution and smoke  High pressure has been in control of our weather, but it also keeps the air stagnant. With the air not moving, we see a buildup of pollution easily in Cincinnati. But there has also been a thin layer of smoke setting up higher in the atmosphere from west coast and Canadian wildfires. At sunrise and sunset, that color change is evident:  Jennifer Ketchmark Explaining the difference smoke makes in the sky  But even in the afternoon hours, our bright blue sky isn't as bright since the dust molecules are larger and absorb more of the color. This is why the sky looks so muted. We need a strong cold front to come through to knock the pollution and smoke out of here.