Unhealthy Air From Wildfires Persists Before Clear Conditions Move In

ILLINOIS — Chicago-area residents who may have difficulty dealing with poor air quality conditions over the weekend will need to endure one more day of haze and smoke as the impact of the Canadian wildfires continues to hang around the region.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency said that an air quality alert remains in place until Monday night due to the effects being felt from the wildfires. The National Weather Service said that the poor air quality may be unhealthy for those who struggle with chronic respiratory issues. Weather officials suggest that those who deal with difficulty in breathing limit their outdoor activity.

The alerts are issued when widespread ozone and or particulate levels are expected to be at or above the unhealthy level for those who deal with chronic breathing issues.

Temperatures are expected to be cooler this week as humidity levels drop. The National Weather Service is calling for temperatures near 80 on Monday with temperatures rising to the mid to upper 80s by Thursday when there is a slight chance of rain early Thursday morning.

Forecasters said that there is a 20 percent of showers and possibly a storm after 10 p.m. Wednesday and again after 4 a.m. on Thursday.

Temperatures will remain cooler near Lake Michigan throughout the week and temperatures will remain in the 60s overnight each night this week, forecasters said.