What kind of weather is indicated by smoke from your fire hanging low to the ground?

When smoke from your fire hangs low to the ground, it typically indicates unstable air conditions, often associated with unsettled weather. In such situations, the atmosphere lacks vertical mixing, preventing the smoke from rising and causing it to remain close to the ground. This phenomenon often occurs in the presence of humidity, temperature inversions, or atmospheric pressure systems that do not allow for the usual dispersion of air.

Unsettled weather may involve approaching storms, changes in temperature, or moisture in the air, leading to variations in conditions that can include wind shifts and the potential for precipitation. Thus, when smoke hangs low, it serves as an indicator of these variable atmospheric conditions, pointing toward unsettled rather than clear, calm, or definitively stormy weather.