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(This article will update)
Wildfire smoke that moved into Central Indiana is creating hazy skies and unhealthy air quality for Sept. 17. The Indianapolis Office of Sustainability issued its fifth Knozone Action Day of the year because of the situation, and National Weather Service (NWS) Indianapolis said there’s a hazardous weather outlook for Central Indiana.
The rest of this week will go from “very warm” to hot and dry, with a marginal fire weather hazard.
An elevated fire weather threat is expected to last through at least Sept. 19.
There’s a 30% chance for showers with a few thunderstorms this weekend going into next Tuesday.
Earlier this month, smoke from wildfires in the Pacific Northwest moved into Central Indiana, resulting in hazy skies, but the smoke at that time wasn’t strong enough to impact air quality.
Last week, meteorologists announced an onset of rapid drought risk across the country, with Central Indiana seeing a 70-80% risk from Sept. 17-23. An onset of rapid drought is caused by extremely dry conditions due to a lack of rainfall. Dry conditions are enhanced by longer periods of lack of rain and lower humidity.
Indianapolis weekly weather forecast
Wednesday: Sunshine to start, then a few afternoon clouds. Very warm. High 88F. Winds light and variable.
Wednesday night: Generally clear skies. Low 62F. Winds light and variable.
Thursday: Except for a few afternoon clouds, mainly sunny. High 89F. Winds light and variable.
Thursday night: Mostly clear skies. Low 63F. Winds light and variable.
Friday: Sunny, along with a few afternoon clouds. High 89F. Winds light and variable.
Friday night: A few clouds. Low 63F. Winds light and variable.
Saturday: Sunshine and clouds mixed. High around 85F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday night: A few clouds. Low 64F. Winds light and variable.
Forecast information for the 12-24 hour forecast for Sept. 17. Graphic displays temperatures, precipitation chances, wind direction, and wind speeds.
Sunday: Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 81F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
Sunday night: Partly cloudy skies early will give way to occasional showers later during the night. Low near 65F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Monday: Overcast. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 76F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Monday night: Considerable cloudiness. Low 64F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday: Intervals of clouds and sunshine. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 78F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday night: Partly cloudy skies. Low 61F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
What is a Knozone Action Day?
Knozone Action Days happen when levels of certain pollutants rise above acceptable thresholds. During Knozone Action Days, the air quality may become unhealthy for sensitive individuals due to increased ground-level ozone and/or fine particles, two of the most common pollutants in the United States.While the ozone layer high in the atmosphere helps protect us from the sun’s rays, ozone down where we breathe is dangerous for public health, according to the Office of Sustainability.
Ground-level ozone is created when a chemical reaction occurs between sunlight and hydrocarbons from emission sources common in urban areas, like gas-powered vehicles and lawn mowers.
Fine particulate matter (or PM2.5) refers to microscopic particles in the air, including dust and smoke, that we can inhale into our lungs and cause damage. This can even be caused by wildfires or dust clouds blowing from thousands of miles away.
Sign up for text or email alerts for Knozone Action Days
First Knozone Action Day of 2025: Outside air will be bad June 12. What you should know
People can sign up at smogwatch.in.gov to be notified of unhealthy air days early.
Knozone.com and the Environmental Protection Agency’s AirNow website and mobile app are other resources for monitoring local air.
Jade Jackson is a public safety reporter for the Indianapolis Star. You can email her at Jade.Jackson@IndyStar.com and follow her on X, formerly Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis weather: What’s causing the hazy skies and bad air
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