Smoke smell in Chicago brought by high winds from Kansas fires, National Weather Service says

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago area residents may notice the smell of smoke Thursday morning.

The National Weather Service says the smell is actually coming from fires in Kansas, about 600 miles away.

The smell is being transported by the strong winds from the south and southwest that have been moving across the Midwest Wednesday and Thursday.

SEE ALSO: Weather Chicago: High Wind Warning issued as damaging gusts hit area

The high winds prompted an advisory for much of the Chicago area Wednesday night and Thursday morning, with gusts as strong as 60 miles-per-hour and thousands of power outages.