(COLORADO) — Not only can rain nourish plants, replenish water supplies, and help fire crews battle fires around the state but it can also cleanse our air.

This effect is called coagulation. As rain falls through the atmosphere, it attracts tens to hundreds of suspended particles in the air. The particles can range from pollutants to organic particles like smoke. The rain will effectively grab onto the smoke and as the rain moves from the sky to the ground, it takes all the smoke particles down with it, eventually cleaning the air.

With the monsoonal moisture on Sunday, August 4, and more on the way for the rest of this week, meteorologists expect the air quality to improve. In fact, with just one day of storms in parts of the higher terrain and Northeastern Colorado on Sunday, air quality already improved. This is especially the case for Northeastern Colorado, where fires like the Alexander Fire, Stone Canyon Fire, and Quarry Fire continue to burn. You can compare for yourself below.

A Comparison Between Air Quality on Sunday, August 4th and Monday, August 5th.