Current:Home > BackWildfire smoke blankets upper Midwest, forecast to head east-LoTradeCoin
Wildfire smoke blankets upper Midwest, forecast to head east
View Date:2024-12-24 00:01:33
The smoke from Canadian wildfires is continuing to impact the United States as parts of the Midwest grapple with historic air quality index, or AQI, readings.
In Minnesota's Twin Cities, the AQI was the worst it had been since the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency began keeping records in 1980. On Wednesday, the area had the worst air quality in the country, CBS Minnesota reported.
The state agency said on Twitter Wednesday night that the AQI for the 24-hour period would be about 175, which is considered unhealthy for the general public. AQI runs on a scale of 0 to 500, with anything below 50 considered "good."
Northern and central Minnesota remain under air quality alerts until Friday morning; the rest of the state is under a similar warning until Thursday evening, according to CBS Minnesota.
Much of the country has dealt with air quality issues in recent weeks as smoke from Canadian wildfires swirls through the atmosphere. Earlier in June, parts of the East Coast, including New York City, saw sky-high AQI readings in the 400s. Numbers that high are considered hazardous, and people were advised to stay indoors as much as possible and wear high-quality masks for any necessary outdoor activity.
It's possible that the East Coast will have air quality issues again in the coming days, the Weather Channel reported on Thursday.
"What's going to happen over the next few days is we're going to start to see a shift in the pattern that's going to bring the smoke a little bit farther toward the east," said Weather Channel meteorologist Ari Sarsalari. The smoke will travel over the Great Lakes, he said, before reaching the coast, especially in the North Atlantic region, likely on Friday into Saturday.
It's not clear how severe the impact will be, he said, but there will likely be noticeable air quality issues, especially for people who have respiratory problems.
"Now, how thick is the smoke going to be? It's a little bit tough to tell," Sarsalari said. "But I can say for sure New York City's not going to look like Mars, like it did not long ago, at least on that one day."
- In:
- Smoke Advisory
- Wildfire Smoke
- Canada
Kerry Breen is a news editor and reporter for CBS News. Her reporting focuses on current events, breaking news and substance use.
veryGood! (3453)
Related
- The Best Gifts for People Who Don’t Want Anything
- From the Heisman to white Bronco chase and murder trial: A timeline of O.J. Simpson's life
- Horoscopes Today, April 11, 2024
- Key events in OJ Simpson’s fall from sports hero and movie star
- Here's Your First Look at The White Lotus Season 3 With Blackpink’s Lisa and More Stars
- Water pouring out of 60-foot crack in Utah dam as city of Panguitch prepares to evacuate
- Convicted murderer charged in two new Texas killings offers to return to prison in plea
- At least 3 dead, 6 missing in explosion at hydroelectric plant in Italy
- The Daily Money: Mattel's 'Wicked' mistake
- Deadly Chicago traffic stop where police fired 96 shots raises serious questions about use of force
Ranking
- 'Wheel of Fortune' contestant makes viral mistake: 'Treat yourself a round of sausage'
- California lawmakers vote to reduce deficit by $17 billion, but harder choices lie ahead
- TSA found more than 1,500 guns at airport checkpoints during 1st quarter of 2024, agency says
- Another roadblock to convincing Americans to buy an EV: plunging resale values
- Ariana Grande's Brunette Hair Transformation Is a Callback to Her Roots
- Robert De Niro and Tiffany Chen attend White House state dinner, Paul Simon performs: Photos
- Will charging educators and parents stop gun violence? Prosecutors open a new front in the fight
- Fiery debate over proposed shield law leads to rare censure in Maine House
Recommendation
-
'Unfortunate error': 'Wicked' dolls with porn site on packaging pulled from Target, Amazon
-
Average long-term US mortgage rate edges closer to 7%, rising to highest level since early March
-
Congress is already gearing up for the next government funding fight. Will this time be any different?
-
O. J. Simpson's top moments off the field (and courtroom), from Hertz ads to 'Naked Gun'
-
Texas mother sentenced to 50 years for leaving kids in dire conditions as son’s body decomposed
-
Alaska House passes budget with roughly $2,275 payments to residents, bill goes to Senate
-
An ambitious plan to build new housing continues to delay New York’s state budget
-
Greg Norman shows up at Augusta National to support LIV golfers at Masters
Like
- Taylor Swift Becomes Auntie Tay In Sweet Photo With Fellow Chiefs WAG Chariah Gordon's Daughter
- HELP sign on tiny Pacific island leads to Coast Guard and Navy rescue of 3 mariners stranded for over a week
- Ralph Puckett Jr., army colonel awarded Medal of Honor for heroism during Korean War, dies at 97