Chicago and Minneapolis Experiencing Poor Air Quality Due to Canadian Wildfires

Posted: June 15, 2023 2:22 pm

The smoke generated from the wildfires burning in Canada is causing air quality to deteriorate again in some major cities in the U.S. Will the smoke be short-lived this time around or will it spread farther? Here is the latest on this situation.

Chicago and Minneapolis Under Air Quality Alerts

Unhealthy air quality is now impacting the heavily populated cities of Chicago and Minneapolis. This is in contrast to last week’s haze that landed farther east and affected New York City, Washington, D.C., and more.

Smoke began to impact the northern Plains and the Upper Midwest earlier in the week. The smoke and haze reached as far south as Oklahoma and as far east as New York City by Thursday morning.

The worst of the smoke was centered over southern Minnesota and into central portions of Ohio. The smoke was socked in between the severe storm system that was impacting the Gulf Coast and an area of low pressure that was anchored over the Great Lakes.

Satellite images also picked up particles of smoke in North Carolina and New Jersey, pointing to the far-reaching impacts of this hazard.

Minneapolis was reporting “very unhealthy” air quality levels on Thursday morning. While the haze was noticeable, it was still better than the peak level of 247 that the Twin Cities saw on Wednesday evening.

Local officials are warning sensitive groups to avoid outdoor activities. Even healthy people will likely see some level of throat irritation and burning eyes if spending too much time outdoors.

Minneapolis was not the only city in the Midwest dealing with potentially dangerous air quality conditions. Chicago was also enveloped in the smoke by Thursday morning. Forecasters warn that the smoke will continue to drift eastward throughout the day, potentially reaching cities such as Cleveland.

Will the Northeast be Spared This Time?

Although it is not likely to reach the levels seen last week, the smoke may move over to the East Coast in the coming days. The chance of rain over the weekend will help to mitigate the presence of any smoke that does move into the region.

Rather than experiencing the thick smoke seen last week, most residents along the East Coast will likely just see a slight haze.

The bulk of the smoke will remain high in the atmosphere. However, sensitive populations may still feel its impacts in an area stretching from the Ohio Valley and into the Northeast. Because the smoke is predicted to be positioned at higher altitudes, those people in these regions can expect colorful sunsets and sunrises.

Update on Canadian Wildfires

The fires continue to rage throughout Canada, now distinguished as the worst wildfire season that the country has seen this century. Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair announced this week that over 47,000 square kilometers have burned this year. There are currently 431 infernos burning across the country.

Also this week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that they will continue to accept assistance from foreign fire crews to keep the blazes under control. For instance, Quebec is eager to see new help arrive from Portugal and Spain in the coming days.

The weather forecast is calling for rain that should hopefully help to extinguish some of the flames. Over 7,200 people are still out of their homes in Quebec after being forced to evacuate. On the western side of the country, about 14,000 residents have not been able to return home in Alberta.

Severe Weather Impacts South-Central U.S. and Gulf Coast

As the Midwest and Northeast grapple with poor air quality, it is severe weather that is churning up problems in the south-central U.S. and into the Gulf Coast region.

Oklahoma City is predicted to be ground zero late Thursday and through Friday. These storm cells will put over 1 million people at risk of frequent lightning strikes, high winds, large hail, and tornadic activity.

The severe weather is a continuation of the activity that pushed through the region on Wednesday. At least 10 tornadoes were reported on this day with the bulk of the action happening in the eastern portion of Mississippi and into western Alabama.

There were over 300 wind reports with gusts of over 80 mph recorded in some areas near the Arkansas and Mississippi state line.

Large hail was also an issue on Wednesday, particularly in the southern U.S. A 5-inch hailstone was reported in eastern Mississippi as the storms unleashed their fury. Arkansas also saw multiple instances of hail measuring up to 4 inches.

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