Over 100 million in eastern US warned of 'unhealthy' air as Canadian wildfire smoke spreads south, west
New York City air quality levels were the worst ever in recorded history Wednesday and wildfire smoke remains a serious issue for much of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic States on Thursday.
When wildfire smoke will move away from Northeast
Smoky skies to persist over the Northeast through Friday, but rain over the weekend will help clear the air. June 8, 2023.
Relief is in sight for many Americans in the Northeast as Canadian wildfire smoke that has blanketed the region for days is expected to move down the East Coast by Friday. Until then, as of Thursday evening, more than 100 million people in the Northeast and across the country are still under poor air quality conditions.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, the concentration of smoke in the Northeastern U.S. will be much lower on Friday than on Wednesday and Thursday. Some smoke will linger over the region, but it should have minimal impact on air quality.
As wildfire smoke moves out of the Northeast, it will move into parts of the mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley. These areas will expected to experience the highest concentrations of wildfire smoke on Friday.
Most Americans will be free of wildfire smoke by late weekend, as a storm system from the Great Lakes will move in and produce thunderstorms that will help clear the air.
WHAT TO DO WHEN WILDFIRE SMOKE SMOTHERS YOUR AREA AND HOW TO KEEP YOUR HOME'S AIR CLEAN
The impacts of wildfire smoke from Canada
![People take photos of the sun as smoke from the wildfires in Canada cause hazy conditions in New York City on June 7, 2023.]()
Image 1 of 33People take photos of the sun as smoke from the wildfires in Canada cause hazy conditions in New York City on June 7, 2023. (ANGELA WEISS/AFP)
![A view of New Brunswick, New Jersey with the Raritan River on June 7, 2023. The skyline is covered in a thick blanket of smoke.]()
Image 2 of 33A view of New Brunswick, New Jersey with the Raritan River on June 7, 2023. The skyline is covered in a thick blanket of smoke. (Kyle David)
![A general view of hazy conditions resulting from Canadian wildfires at Yankee Stadium before the game between the Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees on June 7, 2023, in New York, New York.]()
Image 3 of 33A general view of hazy conditions resulting from Canadian wildfires at Yankee Stadium before the game between the Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees on June 7, 2023, in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) (New York Yankees)
![A general view of hazy conditions resulting from Canadian wildfires at Yankee Stadium before the game between the Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees on June 7, 2023, in New York, New York.]()
Image 4 of 33A general view of hazy conditions resulting from Canadian wildfires at Yankee Stadium before the game between the Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees on June 7, 2023, in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) (New York Yankees)
![People walk in Central Park as smoke from wildfires in Canada cause hazy conditions in New York City on June 7, 2023. Smoke from Canada's wildfires has engulfed the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the US, raising concerns over the harms of persistent poor air quality. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)]()
Image 5 of 33People walk in Central Park as smoke from wildfires in Canada cause hazy conditions in New York City on June 7, 2023. (TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)
![Canadian wildfire smoke creates unhealthy air quality in NYC NEW YORK, US - JUNE 06: The Downtown Manhattan skyline stands shrouded in a reddish haze as a result of Canadian wildfires on June 06, 2023 in New York City. Over 100 wildfires are burning in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia and Quebec resulting in air quality health alerts for the Adirondacks, Eastern Lake Ontario, Central New York and Western New York. (Photo by Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)]()
Image 6 of 33The Statue of Liberty is surrounded by smoke in New York City. June 7, 2023. (Lokman Vural Elibol / Anadolu Agency)
![The smoke is nearly covering the sun in the sky in Brick, New Jersey.]()
Image 7 of 33The smoke is nearly covering the sun in the sky in Brick, New Jersey. (Image credit: @StephenFascia22/Twitter) ( )
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Image 8 of 33Smoky haze blankets neighborhood in the Bronx. New York City. June 7, 2023. (David Dee Delgado)
![Smoke From Canadian Wildfires Blows South Creating Hazy Conditions On Large Swath Of Eastern U.S.]()
Image 9 of 33NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 7: Traffic goes over the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge as smoke from Canadian wildfires casts a haze over the area on June 7, 2023 in New York City. Air pollution alerts were issued across the United States due to smoke from wildfires that have been burning in Canada for weeks. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
![Rust-colored New York City skyline. June 7, 2023.]()
Image 10 of 33Rust-colored New York City skyline. June 7, 2023. (Pamela Ng)
![Hazy skies with Radio City Music Hall in the foreground. New York City. June 7, 2023.]()
Image 11 of 33Hazy skies with Radio City Music Hall in the foreground. New York City. June 7, 2023. (Debbie Burkhoff)
![Hazy skies with Radio City Music Hall in the foreground. New York City. June 7, 2023.]()
Image 12 of 33Hazy skies with Radio City Music Hall in the foreground. New York City. June 7, 2023. (Debbie Burkhoff)
![Orange skies caused by wildfire smoke from Canada are seen over Times Square in New York City on June 7, 2023.]()
Image 13 of 33Orange skies caused by wildfire smoke from Canada are seen over Times Square in New York City on June 7, 2023. (Pam Ng)
![Smoke in New York City]()
Image 14 of 33( )
![People stand in a park as the New York City skyline is covered with haze and smoke from Canada wildfires on June 7, 2023 in Weehawken, New Jersey. Air pollution alerts were issued across the United States due to smoke from wildfires that have been burning in Canada for weeks.]()
Image 15 of 33People stand in a park as the New York City skyline is covered with haze and smoke from Canada wildfires on June 7, 2023 in Weehawken, New Jersey. Air pollution alerts were issued across the United States due to smoke from wildfires that have been burning in Canada for weeks. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
![Smokey Sunrise in New York City]()
Image 16 of 33JERSEY CITY, NJ - JUNE 7: Smoke continues to shroud the sun as it rises behind the skyline of lower Manhattan and One World Trade Center in New York City on June 7, 2023, as seen from Jersey City, New Jersey. (Gary Hershorn)
![Thick smoke over Binghamton, New York, produces an orange glow at the local National Weather Service office on Wednesday, June 7, 2023.]()
Image 17 of 33Thick smoke over Binghamton, New York, produces an orange glow at the local National Weather Service office on Wednesday, June 7, 2023. (NWS Binghamton)
![Smokey Sunrise in New York City]()
Image 18 of 33JERSEY CITY, NJ - JUNE 7: Smoke shrouds the skyline of midtown Manhattan as the sun rises in New York City on June 7, 2023, as seen from Jersey City, New Jersey. (Gary Hershorn)
![The sun is shrouded as it rises in a hazy, smoky sky due to the Canadian wildfires in New York City of United States on June 07, 2023.]()
Image 19 of 33The sun is shrouded as it rises in a hazy, smoky sky due to the Canadian wildfires in New York City of United States on June 07, 2023. (Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency)
![Hazy sunrise as poor air quality grips New York City]()
Image 20 of 33A view of orange haze illuminated the skies across the East on Tuesday morning as wildfire smoke from Canada spread across the East in New York on June 6, 2023. (Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency)
![US-CANADA-ENVIRONMENT-FIRE]()
Image 21 of 33A man stands before the New York city skyline and east river shrouded in smoke, in Brooklyn on June 6, 2023. (ED JONES/AFP)
![CANADA-ENVIRONMENT-FIRE]()
Image 22 of 33A child stands on the shore before the New York city skyline and east river shrouded in smoke, in Brooklyn on June 6, 2023. (ED JONES/AFP)
![Canadian wildfire smoke creates unhealthy air quality in NYC]()
Image 23 of 33The Downtown Manhattan skyline stands shrouded in a reddish haze as a result of Canadian wildfires on June 06, 2023 in New York City. (Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency)
![Canadian wildfire smoke creates unhealthy air quality in NYC]()
Image 24 of 33The Downtown Manhattan skyline stands shrouded in a reddish haze as a result of Canadian wildfires on June 06, 2023 in New York City. (Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency)
![Air-quality alert in NYC]()
Image 25 of 33A man walks his dog as air quality remains poor in New York City on June 06, 2023. (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu Agency)
![Air-quality alert in NYC]()
Image 26 of 33A man sits in the bus stop with a mask on his face in New York City on June 06, 2023. (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu Agency)
![Smoke From Canadian Wildfires Blows South Creating Hazy Conditions On East Coast]()
Image 27 of 33The Statue of Liberty stands shrouded in a reddish haze as a result of Canadian wildfires on June 06, 2023 in New York City. Over 100 wildfires are burning in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia and Quebec resulting in air quality health alerts for the Adirondacks, Eastern Lake Ontario, Central New York and Western New York. (Spencer Platt)
![Heavy Smoke Shrouds Midtown Manhattan in New York City]()
Image 28 of 33Heavy smoke shrouds the Chrysler Building and One Vanderbilt in a view looking northeast from the Empire State Building as the sun sets on June 6, 2023, in New York City. (Gary Hershorn)
![Heavy Smoke Shrouds Midtown Manhattan in New York City]()
Image 29 of 33Heavy smoke fills the air as people cross 34th Street in Herald Square on June 6, 2023, in New York City. (Gary Hershorn)
![NYC Smoke]()
Image 30 of 33NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 06: General view of hazy conditions resulting from Canadian wildfires as grounds crew prepares the field before the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Yankee Stadium on June 06, 2023 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
![NYC Smoke]()
Image 31 of 33NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 06: General view of hazy conditions resulting from Canadian wildfires as Clarke Schmidt #36 of the New York Yankees pitches during the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Yankee Stadium on June 06, 2023 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
![NYC Smoke]()
Image 32 of 33Buildings and Central Park shrouded in smoke from Canada wildfires in New York, US, on Tuesday. June 6, 2023. New York City is bathed in a blanket of unhealthy air as smoke from Canadian wildfires seeps across much of the eastern US and Great Lakes areas. (Photographer: Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
![A view of orange haze illuminated the skies across the East on Tuesday morning as wildfire smoke from Canada spread across the East in New York, United States on June 6, 2023.]()
Image 33 of 33A view of orange haze illuminated the skies across the East on Tuesday morning as wildfire smoke from Canada spread across the East in New York, United States on June 6, 2023. (Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency)
The smoke from wildfires in Canada created "unhealthy" and "hazardous" air quality conditions across the country this week.
New York City air quality levels reached the worst in recorded history Wednesday afternoon when the Air Quality Index (AQI) hit 405, smashing the previous record of 279 back in July 1981.
The wildfire smoke isn’t only causing issues on the ground. Flights from across the region have also been affected because visibility remains low.
On Thursday morning, the FAA said in a tweet that it paused flights from the Northeast, mid-Atlantic Ohio bound for New York’s LaGuardia Airport. Additionally, flights headed for Newark Liberty International Airport were paused.
A Delta Airbus A320 airplane takes off from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on June 8, 2023, as smoke from wildfires in Canada blankets the area.
(SAUL LOEB / AFP / Getty Images)
A ground stop was also put into effect at Philadelphia International Airport due to smoky conditions on Thursday morning, but flights resumed in the afternoon.
WHY DOES WILDFIRE SMOKE CAUSE MORE FLIGHT DELAYS THAN RAIN OR FOG?
The wildfire smoke also led to some baseball games being postponed due to the unhealthy air quality caused by the wildfire smoke.
Major League Baseball officials moved Thursday's game between the Washington Nationals and the Arizona Diamondbacks to June 22. Additionally, the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox game scheduled for Wednesday was moved to Thursday.
Where are Air Quality Alerts in effect on Thursday?
(FOX Weather)
More than 100 million Americans across the eastern half of the country will be under Air Quality Alerts through Thursday night.
In the Northeast, cities from Providence, Rhode Island to Hartford, Connecticut, New York City and Philadelphia are included in those Air Quality Alerts.
In the mid-Atlantic, cities such as Baltimore, Washington D.C. are included. In addition, the entire state of North Carolina and areas of northeastern South Carolina are experiencing Air Quality Alerts.
In the Midwest, Air Quality Alerts are found throughout all of Ohio and Indiana, along with southern Michigan.
What are the current air quality levels in the Northeast?
(FOX Weather)
Air quality levels have improved across northern New England, with Maine, New Hampshire, most of Vermont and parts of New York experiencing "Good" conditions.
However, "Moderate" to "Unhealthy" conditions continue across southern New England, the Northeast and the Midwest.
Cities such as Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Scranton, Pennsylvania, are all under "Unhealthy" air quality alerts. Large parts of eastern Virginia and southern New Jersey, and all of Delaware are experiencing "Unhealthy" conditions, as well.
Parts of the country experiencing "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" air quality alert levels include areas such as Massachusetts, Connecticut, southern New York, eastern Pennsylvania, northern New Jersey, and much of Maryland.
"Moderate" conditions can be found in parts of western Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Michigan.
What cities are experiencing the worst air quality levels in the U.S.?
(FOX Weather)
Cities in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic were currently experiencing the worst air quality levels in the country.
As of early Thursday evening, there were no "Hazardous" levels listed, but the top five worst cities in the U.S. in terms of air quality levels were at "Unhealthy" levels.
The cities include Wilmington and Rolling Meadows in Delaware, Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, Kings Park West in Virginia and Washington, D.C.
How did the poor air quality from Canadian wildfire smoke begin?
The location of Canadian wildfire smoke for June 9 at 9 a.m. ET.
(FOX Forecast Center / FOX Weather)
The smoke had been around for weeks along the U.S.-Canadian border, but weather patterns left most of the particles confined to higher altitudes, keeping impacts well above ground level.
But the recent development of a northerly wind over the fires, combined with high pressure helping to trap the smoke and pollutants closer to the surface, brought smoke to the surface over heavily populated areas of the Northeast.
By Friday morning, the worst of the smoke will push off Long Island and into the Atlantic Ocean. However, Washington D.C. and Baltimore could still deal with very smoky conditions.
Areas farther to the west will also be experiencing unhealthy air quality levels as more smoke arrives. In Pennsylvania, cities from State College to Pittsburgh across the western half of the Keystone State will need to take proper precautions and limit time outdoors due to the potentially hazardous AQIs.
WHAT'S THE STATUS OF CANADIAN WILDFIRES SENDING SMOKE INTO THE US, AND WHEN WILL IT END?