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There's no relief in sight for those hoping to see Utah's hazy, smog-filled inversion lift.

The National Weather Service in Salt Lake City said Sunday that things will probably get a lot worse by mid-week before they might get better.

A high pressure system is moving in from the west, which will further compress and trap the cold air in the valleys. That will cause an increase in haze and a further decrease in air quality, forecasters said.

The Utah Division of Air Quality has declared Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, "red" air quality days.

"Red" days mean the air quality is unhealthy. People should limit outdoor exertion. And mandatory action has been ordered, meaning solid-fuel burning devices like wood and coal-burning stoves and fireplaces must not be used. Also, open burning — including fire pits and campfires — is prohibited.

The next potential lifting of the inversion will come Thursday when the next wintry storm system moves into the area. But even that, meteorologists said, isn't guaranteed to break the inversion because that storm system is appearing weaker than first expected.

Meteorologists said it will take a strong cold front to push out the inversion, and the next system may not have the strength to do so.

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