CLEVELAND, Ohio — Hazy skies are anticipated across Northeast Ohio on Monday and Tuesday as wildfire smoke from central Canada drifts southeast into the region.
The smoke is expected to increase into the afternoon on Monday, partially obscuring what would otherwise be clear skies, according to forecasters with the National Weather Service in Cleveland.
The thickest concentration of wildfire smoke will occur Monday night into Tuesday morning, forecasters said. Some of that smoke may begin to settle lower in the atmosphere on Tuesday, but it’s not expected to reduce visibility at the surface.
Tuesday will be hazy with a whitish tint present in the sky due to the wildfire smoke.
Any lingering smoke over the region should exit generally to the north and northeast by daybreak Wednesday, thanks to southerly and southwesterly winds near the surface and southwesterly winds aloft, according to forecasters.
Is the smoke impacting air quality in NE Ohio?
Because the wildfire smoke has so far been primarily confined to the upper levels of the atmosphere, it is not expected to have a significant impact on air quality in Northeast Ohio.
As of Monday morning, Cleveland’s PM2.5 level — which measures fine particulate matter 2.5 microns or smaller — was at 55, according to AirNow.gov. This falls into the “moderate” range on the air quality index, meaning those who are unusually sensitive to particle pollution should consider reducing activity levels or shortening the amount of time spent active outdoors.
PM2.5 readings in the rest of Northeast were in the “good” range as of Monday morning.
The air quality forecast for Tuesday is expected to be similar, with Cleveland falling under the “moderate” range while the rest of the region remains in the “good” range.
The U.S. air quality index, or AQI, is a tool utilized by the Environmental Protection Agency to communicate about outdoor air quality and health.
Over 1,000 locations in the U.S. monitor and record the air in a color-coded index for four significant pollutants: ground-level ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide. Here’s a breakdown of what each level means:
- Green (0-50) is good.
- Yellow (51-100) is moderate.
- Orange (101-150) is unhealthy for sensitive groups.
- Red (151-200) is unhealthy.
- Purple (201-300) is very unhealthy.
- Maroon (300+) is hazardous.
In the U.S., the worst effects of the wildfire smoke are being felt in Montana, North Dakota and northern Minnesota, where air quality alerts have been issued.
What’s causing the wildfire smoke?
Nearly two dozen active wildfires are burning in the Canadian province of Manitoba, which is just north of Minnesota and North Dakota.
Manitoba declared a state of emergency on Wednesday as the fires burning from the northwest to the southeast forced roughly 17,000 residents to be evacuated from their homes.
Thousands also have been affected by wildfires in Saskatchewan and Alberta, with 1,300 people forced from their homes.
