The acrid aftertaste of this week’s smoky haze is on its way out for the weekend

Buh-bye smoke. Hasta luego Code Maroon, don’t let the screen door. …

The veil is lifting.

Philadelphians are expected to wake Saturday to a haze-free, sunshiny day with a high near 82 degrees, and light winds helping swoosh out any lingering odor from Canadian wildfires — the first smoke-free day since Tuesday, and much warmer than Friday.

Though our neighbors to the north are still suffering from hundreds of wildfires spanning millions of acres, Philadelphians can thank a change in the weather for the relief, as a low pressure system finally pulls away from the area on Saturday. A high pressure system and change in wind direction should result in a reduction in any lingering smoke or haze, according to the National Weather Service.

“That very well may be it,” Matt Brudy, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Office in Mount Holly, said of the near-surface smoke that exited Friday.

The smoke arrived late Monday, and began to make its presence felt Tuesday and Wednesday. The apex was Thursday morning, when Philadelphia saw its worst day for air quality since fine particle pollution records began in 1999. The smoke from the wildfires increased the amount of fine particulate matter in the air to unprecedented and hazardous levels across the Northeast United States.

» READ MORE: Philly had its worst ‘fine particle’ air pollution day on record

Known as PM2.5, these particulates can be especially harmful if inhaled in high amounts over extended periods. As an example of how bad it got: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s average air quality index in Philadelphia this time of year is about 50, on a scale from 0 to 500. The AQI reached hazardous levels on Wednesday and Thursday, with a high of 434 at 1 a.m. Thursday. Exposure at that level is equivalent to smoking one cigarette per hour.

Though Friday saw major clearing, some haze returned in the afternoon.

The high pressure system moving in over the weekend means Sunday could be the warmest day for the near future with highs in the upper 80s, possibly flirting with 90 in some areas of the I-95 corridor. So the weather should be fine for the Odunde Festival, which draws up to 500,000 people annually to celebrate African culture. However, there’s a chance of rain Sunday night with an approaching cold front.

The past week, however, will be one to remember for Philadelphians who were shut in pandemic-like during what was an otherwise very pleasant stretch, with daytime temperatures in the 70s and nothing more than a stray shower. Brudy said daytime highs were kept lower than normal all week because of the sun-blocking haze.

There is other good news for the nose with air quality improving. Philadelphia has resumed all operations as usual, including trash and recycling pickups that had been temporarily halted. City crews will work Saturday to pick up any delayed collection. Other services that resumed include paving, traffic, street lighting, and street repairs.

Meanwhile, Philly schools that shifted to virtual instruction Friday “out of an abundance of caution for the health of students,” will reopen Monday.

It’s also shaping up to be a banner weekend at the Jersey Shore. After some strange days of smoke over the sand and ocean, officials said beaches and boardwalks had cleared as if on cue in advance of the weekend.

“It’s a real bluebird day down here,” Marty Frank, captain of the Cape May Beach Patrol, told The Inquirer Friday morning. “We’re expecting crowds.”

Jim Eberwine, a retired marine meteorologist with the National Weather Service office and an Atlantic County resident, said “things are improving, quickly” at the Jersey Shore after very smoky conditions Thursday.

“There was smoke on the water, like a fog bank,” he said. “This is probably the longest, extended period of these smoky conditions I’ve seen in our area in 30 to 40 years.”

The National Weather Service weekend forecast for most Shore towns, including Sea Isle City and Beach Haven, called for some haze on Saturday morning then mostly sunny through Sunday. Air quality at the Shore, specifically on the beach, will always be slightly better because of the Atlantic Ocean.