When Will The Smoke Clear in CT? The Answer Has Changed

CONNECTICUT — When will the smoke clear in CT? Isn't that the million-dollar question.

State health officials said Wednesday that with the "unhealthy air quality from elevated levels of smoke from the wildfires in Canada," the state is recommending that people with asthma or heart and lung conditions avoid outdoor exercise Wednesday and Thursday.

So it appears that the smoke effects will remain in Connecticut through Thursday, but in an evening update, there is now concern that the smoky conditions won't clear entirely until the weekend.

"Smoky again Thursday. While likely a bit less than today, low air quality is still an issue. Smoke will continue off and on at varying levels into Friday and we may not truly kick it until this weekend," wrote Fox 61 chief Meteorologist Rachel Frank.

The National Weather Service adds that "The weather pattern is not going to change much through the weekend. A stalled low-pressure system near Maine and the Canadian Maritime Provinces will sustain northerly winds from the fires in Quebec, directing the smoke into portions of the northeastern U.S."

Area of dense smoke moving into CT now, will remain for much of Thursday, officials say

The State of Connecticut Department of Emergency Services & Public Protection said there is an area of dense smoke modeled to move into Connecticut over the next few hours and remain in the area until early Thursday morning, Greenwich officials shared.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has issued an Air Quality Action Day for fine particulates through midnight tonight.

Wilton Fire Department Chief James P. Blanchfield said in an email that an "area of dense smoke is modeled to move into Connecticut over the next few hours, with higher smoke density expected than was observed yesterday."

"The highest concentrations of smoke are expected to stay in Connecticut through the evening and into the early morning hours of Thursday. Lower concentrations of smoke will linger through much of Thursday," Blanchfield said.

"We continue to closely monitor the air quality in CT, which is being impacted by smoke from Canadian wildfires. Air quality warnings have been issued," Gov. Ned Lamont said. "It is advised to minimize outdoor activity if you can, especially those with respiratory illnesses or sensitive to pollutants."

Health effects and impacts from the smoke

“The health effects for some people may include chest tightness, shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, eye irritation, chest pain, dizziness or lightheadedness, and other symptoms,” said DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD. ‘We recommend that you avoid any outdoor exercise today if you have an underlying health condition. Be sure to have your medications readily available and seek medical attention if these issues worsen.”

Juthani added that closing windows and doors will help keep smoke out of the home. Children, the elderly, and those with asthma or heart and lung conditions are most at risk for experiencing symptoms from elevated air pollution that is expected today.

Even healthy adults who spend prolonged periods outdoors working or exercising should minimize their outdoor exertion because poor air quality can impact even those not considered vulnerable.

The smoky conditions have led to Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) to postpone Wednesday's state tournament lacrosse and tennis competition due to a poor air quality forecast.

"Most of this afternoon’s tournament schedule includes boys and girls lacrosse, a high-intensity aerobic sport," CIAC director of media relations John Holt said in a written statement. "The CIAC has postponed this afternoon's boys and girls tennis semifinals for consistency of our member schools' after-school plans." The CIAC is rescheduling the postponed games for Thursday.

Some schools have cancelled outdoor activities too. "For the safety and wellbeing of all students and staff, Norwalk Public Schools has suspended all outdoor activities including school trips due to the impact of the unhealthy air quality," Norwalk Public Schools said.

Patch editor Tim Jensen contributed to this story.