Alert – Canada wildfire smoke returns: hazy skies forecast across the Northeast

Smoke from raging Canadian wildfires has once again descended on major cities across the Northeast. 

As the smoke drifted across the Northeastern seaboard on Thursday, skies appeared yellowish and hazy, conjuring up fears from last year’s wildfire incident.

In a statement posted on X.com, the National Weather Service wrote:

‘You may notice hazy skies today. It is coming from wildfire smoke, which has overspread across the area from north to south.’

Smoke from raging Canadian wildfires has once again descended on major cities across the Northeast

‘We expect this to stick around for the next several days. Not expecting harmful impacts to air quality, at this time,’ they added.

The smoke is forecasted to affect a wide range of cities including New York, Washington DC, Boston, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. 

Ben Noll, a meteorologist with the National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research, posted a graphic depicting the path of the smoke.

In the image, billowy green streaks representing smoke can be seen drifting toward the Northeast.

Ben Noll, a meteorologist with the National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research, posted a graphic depicting the path of the smoke

‘It’s back: Canadian wildfire smoke will grow in coverage across the Northeast today,’ Noll wrote.

‘Hazy afternoon and evening skies are likely from NYC to Boston and points north,’ he continued, before adding that the ‘smoke will continue to be prominent into the weekend.’

The NWS has urged people with sensitivities to poor air quality to ‘consider making outdoor activities light and short.’

High atmospheric pressure is driving the smoke over Canada and into the East Coast. 

As the smoke drifted across the northeastern seaboard, skies appeared yellowish and hazy, conjuring up fears from last year’s wildfire incident

Dave Dombek, an eminent meteorologist with AccuWeatherInc., told The Philadelphia Inquirer that the source of the smoke had been identified about 2,500 miles away in the forests of Alberta, where roughly 140,000 acres were burning as of last week. 

The wind initially coaxed the smoke in the direction of northeastern Canada, before shifting and driving south toward the northeastern United States.

According to information published by the Canadian government on August 7, there are currently 155 uncontrolled wildfires, in addition to the 297 that are controlled or held.

In early June 2023, wildfires swept across Canada, burning a swathe of territory larger than West Virginia.

Last year, smoke from the fires blanketed the skies over the northeast United States and dragged down the air quality in several cities

Smoke from the fires blanketed the skies over the northeast United States and dragged down the air quality in several cities. 

Experts have been quick to reassure people that this year’s smoke won’t pose nearly as dire a threat.

‘It’s a much different situation,’ Dombek explained to the Inquirer. 

This is because the smoke has remained in the mid and upper levels of the atmosphere and has not sunk down into the levels in which we breathe.