Millions in America’s East Coast metros have been buckled by out-of-control Canadian wildfires, with the destructive smoke lingering over major US cities for a second consecutive day.
Residents in key metros including New York, Washington DC and Philadelphia woke up to find their iconic skylines again shrouded in an ominous yellow mist, leaving many to wonder how long the smog is set to remain.
Through Thursday, flights were periodically delayed out of LaGuardia, Philadelphia and Newark Airports as the FAA scrambles to deal with the ongoing travel chaos.
And with 75 million Americans currently under some level of air quality warning, winds are forecast to push much of the headline-grabbing yellow hue seen over New York City on Wednesday down to the Mid-Atlantic states.
Meteorologists are forecasting that the smoke, which has touched at least 16 states, could be set to last into the weekend in some places.
A man talks on his phone as he looks through the haze at the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee, N.J., Wednesday, June 7, 2023
A map of the impact the wildfire smoke has had upon air quality levels across the East Coast. Purple sections are deemed ‘hazardous’, red is ‘unhealthy’, orange is ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, and yellow is ‘moderate’
The source of the smoke is a fleet of over 400 active wildfires over the Canadian border, where many of the blazes have been burning for several weeks.
A weather front blowing in from the Atlantic Ocean over Nova Scotia then sent the hazardous plumes south, where they quickly smothered many major East Coast hubs.
And a further southern push is set to see the smoke hit several Mid-Atlantic states, with the fog’s path forecast to now cover Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Washington.
The level of air quality is expected to improve for many over the coming days, however officials warned that it is variable and can be affected by factors including wind direction and the strength of the wildfires.
Members of the Marine Corps practice for an up-coming parade under skies made hazy from Canadian wildfires near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, USA, 08 June 2023
The sun rising over the One World Trade Center as Manhattan woke up for the second day in a row of smoke-cover
However, while New York saw a visible shift in the smoke Thursday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams admitted the Big Apple may not be done with the fog just yet.
‘The large plume we saw yesterday has been pushed through the city, and we are expecting gradual improvement through the early afternoon today,’ he told a press conference.
‘But a sea breeze this afternoon could push smoke back over the city.’
New York Governor Kathy Hochul added that while the Big Apple may have somewhat cleared Thursday morning, residents should remain cautious given the risks of ongoing high pollution levels.
‘We might get a little respite. But I don’t want people to let down their guard and to become complacent about this, because we have to be prepared for the winds to shift,’ she said.
UPSTATE NEW YORK: A horse at Belmont Park in Elmont, where all training and racing was cancelled Thursday due to the poor air quality
WASHINGTON, DC: Members of the Marine Corps honor color guard rehearse as the sun rises over a thick layer of smoke, Thursday, June 8, 2023
Further winds are set to push the smoke through Washington DC Thursday, with Baltimore also now in its path.
The nation’s capital has seen its air quality index score hit over 290, a level that is considered ‘hazardous’.
Air quality index scored have been soaring through the morning, and ‘hazardous’ or ‘very unhealthy’ scores have been recorded from Washington through to Philadelphia and New York.
Health experts warned that breathing the fog can be as damaging as smoking 22 cigarettes a day. Nanoparticles from the smog are so small they can penetrate the lungs and bloodstream, with side effects also including irritation to the eyes and throat and breathing problems.
