Air quality improves for cities along I-95 corridor as Canada's wildfire smoke moves through US
The FOX Forecast Center said as winds shifted during the afternoon, New York City and Philadelphia began to see improvements but the unhealthy air quality was expected to spread westward toward Pittsburgh and the Ohio Valley.
Some improvement in air quality reported in major East Coast cities
Major cities along the Interstate 95 corridor have seen some improvement in the air quality Thursday.
Smoke from Canada's wildfires still engulfed the Northeast and mid-Atlantic on Thursday, triggering health concerns for over 100 million people under persistent poor air quality. However, air quality levels improved from the record-setting hazardous readings spread across the region on Wednesday.
The wildfire smoke pushing across the region has prompted air quality alerts from the Midwest to the Northeast and down to the mid-Atlantic and Carolinas.
New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington all woke up Thursday with a significant amount of smoke and haze in the air.
Wildfire smoke shrouds Statue of Liberty as air quality hits 'hazardous' levels
Footage captured by Paul Dousset shows wildfire smoke envelope the Statue of Liberty on Wednesday evening.
When the air quality index (AQI) reaches a value greater than 100, the air quality is considered unhealthy. Several communities reached levels in the "hazardous" 300 to 400 range. Washington reached the hazardous level on the AQI scale by 9 a.m. Thursday.
According to observation sites, Philadelphia started the day with a reading around 383, Baltimore was at 274 and New York City reading was around 228.
By the late afternoon, the AQI values had dropped significantly and were out of the hazardous range.
The FOX Forecast Center expected unhealthy air quality readings to spread westward toward Pittsburgh and the Ohio Valley to close out the workweek.
WHAT'S THE STATUS OF CANADIAN WILDFIRES SENDING SMOKE INTO THE U.S., AND WHEN WILL IT END?
(FOX Weather)
Flight disruptions were experienced on Thursday after the Federal Aviation Administration paused flights from the Northeast, Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic that were bound for New York's LaGuardia Airport. Philadelphia International Airport also saw a ground stop because of the smoke and haze.
SEE EERIE ORANGE SKIES OVER NEW YORK CITY AS CANADIAN WILDFIRE SMOKE BLANKETS NORTHEAST
New York City set a record Wednesday for the worst air quality the city had ever reported in records dating to 1981, reaching the highest level of hazardous on the air quality index, as the skies plunged into an orange-tinged darkness.
Major League Baseball officials postponed Thursday's game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Washington Nationals because of concerns over hazardous air quality issues caused by smoke blanketing the skies across the Northeast.
The hazardous air quality in New York City made it impossible for a number of Hamilton artists to perform Wednesday on Broadway. Producers said the shows would resume as scheduled Thursday even as heavy smoke continues to create unhealthy conditions.
![Air quality hit harmful levels across eastern US from Canada's wildfires]()
Image 1 of 10Scenes across New York City are seen on June 7, 2023, amid hazy conditions due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. People in the city other areas are expected to have another day of bad air Thursday due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Air quality advisories continue to be in place for all five boroughs of the city of more than 8 million people. (Ezio Cairoli)
![Air quality hit harmful levels across eastern US from Canada's wildfires]()
Image 2 of 10Scenes across New York City are seen on June 7, 2023, amid hazy conditions due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. People in the city other areas are expected to have another day of bad air Thursday due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Air quality advisories continue to be in place for all five boroughs of the city of more than 8 million people. (Ezio Cairoli)
![Air quality hit harmful levels across eastern US from Canada's wildfires]()
Image 3 of 10Scenes across New York City are seen on June 7, 2023, amid hazy conditions due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. People in the city other areas are expected to have another day of bad air Thursday due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Air quality advisories continue to be in place for all five boroughs of the city of more than 8 million people. (Ezio Cairoli)
![Air quality hit harmful levels across eastern US from Canada's wildfires]()
Image 4 of 10Scenes across New York City are seen on June 7, 2023, amid hazy conditions due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. People in the city other areas are expected to have another day of bad air Thursday due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Air quality advisories continue to be in place for all five boroughs of the city of more than 8 million people. (Ezio Cairoli)
![Air quality hit harmful levels across eastern US from Canada's wildfires]()
Image 5 of 10Scenes across New York City are seen on June 7, 2023, amid hazy conditions due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. People in the city other areas are expected to have another day of bad air Thursday due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Air quality advisories continue to be in place for all five boroughs of the city of more than 8 million people. (Ezio Cairoli)
![Air quality hit harmful levels across eastern US from Canada's wildfires]()
Image 6 of 10Scenes across New York City are seen on June 7, 2023, amid hazy conditions due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. People in the city other areas are expected to have another day of bad air Thursday due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Air quality advisories continue to be in place for all five boroughs of the city of more than 8 million people. (Ezio Cairoli)
![Air quality hit harmful levels across eastern US from Canada's wildfires]()
Image 7 of 10Scenes across New York City are seen on June 7, 2023, amid hazy conditions due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. People in the city other areas are expected to have another day of bad air Thursday due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Air quality advisories continue to be in place for all five boroughs of the city of more than 8 million people. (Ezio Cairoli)
![Air quality hit harmful levels across eastern US from Canada's wildfires]()
Image 8 of 10Scenes across New York City are seen on June 7, 2023, amid hazy conditions due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. People in the city other areas are expected to have another day of bad air Thursday due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Air quality advisories continue to be in place for all five boroughs of the city of more than 8 million people. (Ezio Cairoli)
![Air quality hit harmful levels across eastern US from Canada's wildfires]()
Image 9 of 10Scenes across New York City are seen on June 7, 2023, amid hazy conditions due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. People in the city other areas are expected to have another day of bad air Thursday due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Air quality advisories continue to be in place for all five boroughs of the city of more than 8 million people. (Ezio Cairoli)
![Air quality hit harmful levels across eastern US from Canada's wildfires]()
Image 10 of 10Scenes across New York City are seen on June 7, 2023, amid hazy conditions due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. People in the city other areas are expected to have another day of bad air Thursday due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Air quality advisories continue to be in place for all five boroughs of the city of more than 8 million people. (Ezio Cairoli)
Jim Byk, co-president of the Press Room NYC, said Wednesday's matinée of Prima Facie was halted approximately 10 minutes into the performance after Jodie Comer had difficulty breathing due to the poor air quality in New York City.
"The performance started again from the top with understudy Dani Arlington going on for Ms. Comer in the role of Tessa," he said.
People 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 / Getty Images)
WHAT TO DO WHEN WILDFIRE SMOKE SMOTHERS YOUR AREA, AND HOW TO KEEP YOUR HOME'S AIR CLEAN
Animals have also been affected by the wildfire smoke. The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) canceled live racing Thursday at Belmont Park due to poor air quality conditions. Morning training was also canceled at both Saratoga Race Course and Belmont Park.
The conditions that necessitated the cancellation of training are likely to persist Thursday afternoon and into the evening. As a result, Thursday’s twilight racing program, which featured a 3:05 p.m. EDT first post to kick off the 2023 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, has been canceled.
"Safety is paramount as we navigate this unprecedented situation," NYRA president and CEO David O’Rourke said. "NYRA will actively monitor all available data and weather information as we work toward the resumption of training and racing both here at Belmont Park and at Saratoga Race Course. Based on current forecast models and consultation with our external weather services, we remain optimistic that we will see an improvement in air quality on Friday."
The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, and the 155th running $1.5 million Belmont Stakes, is expected to be still held Saturday. First post is 11:20 a.m. EDT.
General view of the track before sunrise at Belmont Park on June 08, 2023 in Elmont, New York.
(Sarah Stier / Getty Images)
Due to the ongoing air quality concerns in the greater Syracuse area in central New York, country music headliner Chris Stapleton has postponed Thursday night’s show at St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview. The rescheduled date has not yet been announced.
When will this smoke finally clear out most of the Northeast?
The latest computer forecast models are suggesting a weather pattern change this weekend and into early next week, which will shift the wind patterns as a storm system moves in from the Great Lakes.
The FOX Forecast Center said this should be an efficient rainmaker, along with the potential for some thunderstorms, but the good news is this will also shift the winds to a southerly direction. Those southerly winds should finally clear the air of most of the smoke.
The latest computer forecast models are suggesting a weather pattern change this weekend and into early next week, which will shift the wind patterns as a storm system moves in from the Great Lakes.
(FOX Weather)