Northeast smoke impact expected to be minimal Friday
Relief is finally in sight for the northeastern U.S. on Friday in terms of Canadian wildfire smoke. Overall, the concentration of smoke will be much lower than Wednesday and Thursday.
PHILADELPHIA – Air quality levels improved to their best levels in days across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic on Friday.
The FOX Forecast Center said there are still some pockets of unhealthy air remaining as the smoke-choked region from Canadian wildfires eagerly awaits an anticipated wind shift this weekend to scour out the remaining haze.
The air quality index (AQI) dropped to the low 100s around Philadelphia and Pittsburgh Friday morning. The readings are a far cry from the hazardous readings that crossed 300 – and in some cases, 400 – on Wednesday and Thursday around the Philadelphia region.
Western Pennsylvania was still expecting a push of wildfire smoke Friday for continued hazy skies and poor air quality. An "orange" air quality alert was in effect for the Pittsburgh area warning those sensitive to poor air quality, such as children, older adults and those suffering from heart and lung ailments, to limit outdoor activity.
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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.
(Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
FILE - A view of the sun which was turned red due to the fire fumes in the atmosphere, on June 06, 2023 in New York, United States. The USA was affected by the smoke from the forest fires in Canada.
(Islam Dogru/Anadolu Agency)
JERSEY 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)
Wildfire smoke from Canada is having a widespread and significant impact on air quality in New York City.
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Thick smoke over Binghamton, New York, produces an orange glow at the local National Weather Service office on Wednesday, June 7, 2023.
(NWS Binghamton)
JERSEY 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.
(Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency)
Hazy skies could be seen Wednesday morning in Washington, DC.
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A man stands before the New York city skyline and east river shrouded in smoke, in Brooklyn on June 6, 2023.
(ED JONES/AFP)
A 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)
The 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)
The 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)
A man walks his dog as air quality remains poor in New York City on June 06, 2023.
(Selcuk Acar/Anadolu Agency)
A man sits in the bus stop with a mask on his face in New York City on June 06, 2023.
(Selcuk Acar/Anadolu Agency)
The 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 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 fills the air as people cross 34th Street in Herald Square on June 6, 2023, in New York City.
(Gary Hershorn)
NEW 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)
NEW 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)
Buildings 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)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 06: General view of hazy conditions resulting from Canadian wildfires as Jose Trevino #39 of the New York Yankees walks out on to 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)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 06: General view of hazy conditions resulting from Canadian wildfires as Clarke Schmidt #36 of the New York Yankees walks out on to 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))
Smoke over Yankee stadium (June 6, 2023)
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What are the current air quality levels in Pennsylvania?
The AQI ranges from 0 to 500 and has six color-coded categories to correspond to a different level of health concern. Lower numbers equate to better air quality, and higher numbers equate to poorer air quality.
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What are the current Air Quality Alerts in Pennsylvania?
Where are the cities with the worst air quality in the U.S.?
Here's a look at the current cities with the worst air quality across the U.S.
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What does the air quality index mean?
A regular assessment of air quality in the United States started in 1976, about six years after the Environmental Protection Agency was created.
According to AirNow.gov, the law requires any metropolitan area with a population of more than 350,000 to report air quality daily.
The Air Quality Index s we know it today was released in 1999, according to AirNow.gov. It has gone through several updates over the years, but the goal has always been the same — to offer people an easy-to-understand daily report about the air they’re breathing and indicate what air quality is dangerous.