Why is the sky yellow in the Northeastern United States? Canadian wildfire smoke triggers air quality alert in Massachusetts
canadian wildfires Smoke continued to block sunlight on Wednesday, turning skies yellow across northeastern states and pushing Massachusetts An air quality alert was issued, warning sensitive residents to be careful.
Massachusetts issues air quality alert
Air quality across the state is expected to be unhealthy for sensitive groups due to higher levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), according to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). “Sensitive groups include people with heart or lung disease such as asthma, older adults, children, teenagers and people who spend time outdoors,” MassDEP said.
The alert will remain in effect until midnight Thursday, according to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
Thick smoke billows from wildfires across West ontario Coverage of the Northeastern United States began on Tuesday and is expected to continue into Wednesday. More than 830 wildfires are burning Canada As of noon Wednesday, according to Canadian Wildland Fire Information System.
In the greater Boston area, air quality readings near noon ranked air quality around the city as “moderate” and around Lynn to the north as “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” according to MassDEP’s MassAir data. boston herald.
MassDEP recommends that people who are sensitive to air quality “limit prolonged or strenuous outdoor activities, get more rest, reduce strenuous activities, follow an asthma action plan, and keep quick-relief medications with you.”
Why is the sky yellow?
thick big feathers wildfire Smoke reportedly drifted directly into New England, turning skies milky, yellow-brown and triggering air quality alerts WBUR. The dramatic skies stemmed from a series of violent wildfires burning in Ontario and northern Minnesota, Canada.
Strong winds accompanied by powerful jet streams push wildfire smoke directly to the northeast.
Air quality alerts are now in effect New York Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., and west to the Great Lakes. People with asthma, COPD or other breathing problems are advised to limit their time outdoors.
The smoke was very thick in some areas, according to WBUR. In northern Wisconsin, morning webcams showed harbor ships completely obscured by thick surface smoke.
In Holderness, New Hampshire, the smog was so thick Wednesday that the sun shone only faintly. On Mount Washington, a meteorologist said it looked like Mars outside. On Wednesday morning, Boston’s air quality index reached about 130, which falls into the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” category.
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What happens next: A second wave of smoke rises
Thursday
While the smoke makes breathing difficult, it also promises to create incredibly vivid, fiery sunrises and sunsets.
wednesday night: The heaviest smoke will remain in central and southern New England, especially along and south of the Maspec, across Connecticut and the South Coast. Only remote areas of northern Maine escaped the worst. The smoke should thin slightly overnight.
Thursday: Following a beautiful sunrise, a second wave of heavy smoke is expected to return to New England Thursday afternoon, bringing more ground smoke and smoke odor, according to WBUR.
