The National Weather Service has extended an ongoing air quality alert for most of the Chicago area as wildfire smoke continues to billow into the area.
That alert will now run through at least Friday night according to NWS officials, with residents urged to take precautions to limit their exposure to airborne particulates.
In addition, the Illinois EPA has issued what it’s calling a “Red Forecast Air Pollution Action Day” for the area Thursday and into Friday.
Wildfire smoke, which is being generated by blazes burning in Manitoba and Ontario provinces in Canada, as well as far northern Minnesota, began pushing into the Chicago area overnight Wednesday and into Thursday, and will likely persist into the day on Friday, according to forecast models.
While conditions are expected to improve slowly over the course of the day, NWS officials say smoke won’t “significantly decrease” until the late morning or the early afternoon, meaning air quality will continue to be an issue for most of the day even as winds shift and begin to push some of that smoke out of the region.
Thursday could even see some “hazardous” air quality across the area, with all residents urged to avoid outside activity wherever possible, according to federal officials.
Even if smoke begins to dissipate late Thursday and into Friday, air quality will still be considered “very unhealthy,” and residents are urged to avoid long or intense activity outdoors. Sensitive groups should continue to avoid all outdoor activity until smoke begins to dissipate.
Even as the wildfire smoke moves out of the area, next week could see a return of those conditions, as winds will shift out of the north, bringing cooler air into the region and potentially causing more smoke to arrive.
Stay tuned to the NBC 5 Storm Team for all the latest weather news and information, and download the NBC Chicago app for real-time weather alerts sent to your phone.
from NBC Chicago https://ift.tt/zBRgO8o
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