Smoke from more than 830 wildfires in Canada continues to blanket parts of the Midwest, turning the skies hazy and triggering air quality alerts through Friday evening in the Chicago metro area.
The Air Quality Index reached a staggering 727 Thursday afternoon in parts of the north and west suburbs of Chicago, prompting officials to warn against most outdoor activity.
Forecasters say a shift in the weather pattern next week should gradually improve air quality across much of the eastern U.S.
When will smoke clear in Chicago?
Smoke is reducing visibility across the Chicago area Thursday, July 16, with the thickest concentrations generally along and northeast of Interstate 90. The National Weather Service in Chicago said smoke moved in along a lake-enhanced boundary, with webcams showing haze spreading across the city and visibility dropping near Lake Michigan.
Conditions should gradually improve Thursday night into Friday, July 17, as winds turn southwest and push near-surface smoke back toward the lake. Forecasters say lighter winds could slow the cleanup, but a stronger cold front moving through the Great Lakes early next week will bring a more widespread return of cleaner air.
How will air quality look Friday in Chicago? How about the rest of Illinois?
Air Quality Indexes in the Chicago metro area are forecast to reach the Unhealthy range Friday, July 17, according to AirNow.gov.
The air quality in parts of central and southern Illinois will lower to the Moderate range.
The site continues to warn about PM 2.5, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defines as “fine inhalable particles, with diameters that are generally 2.5 micrometers and smaller.”
US smoke map
US air quality map
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: When will wildfire smoke clear in Chicago? See latest forecast
Reporting by Hannah Hudnall and Brandi D. Addison, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Hannah Hudnall and Brandi D. Addison, Peoria Journal Star | USA TODAY Network
