Over 100 million Americans are currently dealing with smoky skies caused by thick wildfire smoke. However, there might be some relief in sight as the big Fourth of July weekend gets underway. Cities with the worst Air Quality Index (AQI) readings on Friday evening were New York City, Wayne County, Angola on the Lake in New York, Mendham Township in New Jersey, and Houston City in Pennsylvania. Each of these cities had an AQI reading of “unhealthy,” the third-worst reading on the index.
The smoke is a result of wildfires in Canada and has engulfed various cities across the United States. In New York City, the Statue of Liberty and the skyline of lower Manhattan have been shrouded in smoke. In Atlanta, the skyline was similarly covered, and in Albany, New York, the sunrise was tinted with wildfire smoke. The Cleveland skyline and the Hubertus, Wisconsin sky have also been affected.
The poor air quality conditions are expected to continue moving eastward into the weekend, meaning that the smoke will gradually thin out for many Americans as the holiday weekend begins. However, air quality concerns will still persist during this time. Some of the areas most impacted include Michigan, Indiana, parts of Ohio, and Kentucky. In the Northeast, a health advisory has been issued for West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., Maryland, Delaware, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire. In the Southeast, communities in North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama will be affected until Friday night.
Health experts have advised individuals in areas with unhealthy air quality levels to limit their outdoor activities to reduce the effects of the toxic air. Sensitive health groups may experience respiratory problems and difficulty breathing.
While the smoke is expected to thin out as the Fourth of July weekend approaches, air quality concerns will persist. According to the FOX Forecast Center, smoke will disperse even more by Saturday morning, resulting in a slight haze in the sky. The Great Lakes region is expected to experience clearer and more smoke-free skies, while the Atlantic coastline will still have smokier skies.
The movement of the smoke across the country has been significant. Air quality improved on Thursday night and Friday in parts of Illinois, Indiana, western Ohio, and Kentucky after strong winds associated with a derecho cleared out the atmosphere. However, Cleveland woke up to smoky skies on Friday, with air quality alerts remaining in place across northeast Ohio. Atlanta also experienced “Unhealthy” air quality levels due to the plume of wildfire smoke spreading from the Appalachians. Multiple states in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, and Great Lakes, including New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Michigan, West Virginia, and New Jersey, are still under air quality alerts.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has declared an Air Quality Action Day for Friday due to the wildfire smoke and ozone pollution. It is crucial for individuals in affected areas to stay updated on air quality alerts and take necessary precautions for their health and well-being.