Smoky skies and air quality concerns into the weekend

With north and northwesterly winds today and tomorrow, wildfire smoke from Canada will continue to bring hazardous air quality for some across Great Lakes and Northeast.

Here are the latest air quality levels across the country:

Winds out of the north and northwest will push wildfire smoke plumes from fires in southern Canada southward. As a result, the air quality will decrease and could range from unhealthy for sensitive groups to even hazardous at times.

A cold front is poised to move through the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic Saturday afternoon and evening. This will help “clean the air” for some in the short-term. However, with so many particulates in the atmosphere, “dirty rain” will likely fall.  

Air Quality Alerts

Air Quality Alerts are in effect through Saturday for parts of the Great Lakes and the Northeast. 

Sensitive groups, including those with heart diseases and respiratory diseases, like asthma, should avoid strenuous outdoor activities. Be sure to monitor for symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, dizziness or burning in nose, throat and eyes.

When the air quaility is hazardous, all groups should avoid spending time outdoors.

Reduce or eliminate activities that contribute to air pollution, such as outdoor burning, and use of residential wood burning devices.

Hazy skies make for vivid sunsets

With more particulates in the atmosphere from the wildfire smoke, as the sun sets, the light will hit those molecules and scatter in the atmosphere. Since the light has to travel through more of the atmosphere, the shorter wavelengths (the blue and violet colors) will be scattered out, leaving only the longer wavelengths (reds, oranges and yellows) visible to our eyes.

Therefore, in a hazy sky, the sun will appear a brighter red or orangish color. 

Submit your weather and sunset photos here. 

Download the Spectrum News App for the latest forecast updates.

Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.