When Will The Smoke Clear In VA, DC? 'Code Orange' In Friday Forecast

VIRGINIA/DC — Residents in Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., are beginning the day mainly with Code Yellow air quality readings, with more Code Orange readings expected as the day progresses.

Residents who went outside after sunrise Friday morning noticed that the sky was visible, a contrast to the thick haze that nearly completely hid the Washington Monument on Thursday.

As the day progresses, though, the D.C. area will come under a Code Orange alert and people with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teens need to choose less strenuous activities outside or shorten the amount of time they spend outside, according to AirNow.gov.

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments is forecasting a Code Orange air day for the D.C. area on Friday. Smoke coming from fires in Canada will continue to contribute to the increased levels of fine particle pollution, the group said.

Light winds from the north are forecast to start coming from the west later Friday, which will eventually kick out the low-level smoke. The concentration of the smoke will then be mainly east of D.C. and pushing toward the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

"Computer modeling suggests the thickest smoke may remain north and east of the immediate area today, but we can’t rule out some sneaking in at times," The Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang reported Friday morning. "On balance, though, the worst has passed."

Later Friday, there's a chance of rain showers or storms that could help clear the air. "Even with minimal raindrops, a wind from the west should help push the thicker stuff out," the Capital Weather Gang said.

For Saturday, the forecast is warm, with lower smoke content. Sunday is expected to be even warmer and breezy ahead of storms and more humidity on Monday.

After canceling outdoor activities on Thursday, Fairfax County Public Schools said Friday morning that all field trips, including outdoor and athletic trips, will continue as scheduled. But participation in these field trips will be at parental discretion.

"We will be monitoring conditions and will send an update should conditions change," FCPS said.

In Arlington County, though, the school system said Thursday night that all field trips scheduled to outdoor locations are canceled for Friday. All outdoor activities, including outdoor after-school activities, are also canceled, Arlington Public Schools said.

In the District of Columbia, the public schools system said that to ensure the safety of students and other sensitive groups, DC Public Schools will continue to suspend all outdoor activities including recess, outdoor physical education classes, athletic practices and competitions, field days and trips to outdoor destinations on Friday.

D.C. Homeland Security & Emergency Management noted Friday morning that a Code Orange air quality alert has been issued for D.C. During a Code Orange alert, the air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups. Residents are encouraged to take the following the necessary precautions.

The Environmental Protection Agency monitors how polluted or clear the air is with the Air Quality Index. The scale runs from 0 to 500. Each range on the AQI is given a color. Green is the zero to 50 part of the range, and qualifies as "good" air quality; yellow is 51 to 100, and qualifies as "moderate" air.

Code Orange is the part of the range from 101 to 150, and means the air is unhealthy for sensitive groups. A code red, which ranges from 151 to 200, is unhealthy for everyone. Code Purple means everyone is as risk of health impacts. Once you get to 301 and higher, people are more likely to be sickened.

People with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teens should take these precautions:

• Avoid strenuous outdoor activities.
• Keep outdoor activities short.
• Consider moving physical activities indoors or rescheduling them.
• Staying indoors as much as possible
• Keep your windows closed
• Use an air purifier if possible

The director of the asthma center at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., said air conditions could be particularly dangerous for children with asthma. Shilpa J. Patel told The Washington Post parents should keep all children indoors, especially those with asthma, and to have them wear N95 face masks if they go outside.

If children start coughing or have trouble breathing, they should start use their rescue inhalers every four hours, Patel said. Parents should call their child's primary care provider, too.

Everyone else — take any of these steps to reduce your exposure:

• Choose less strenuous activities (like walking instead of running) so you don’t breathe as hard.
• Shorten the amount of time you are active outdoors.

Clean Air Partners — which issues air quality forecasts for the Washington-Baltimore region — has Code Red air conditions for the entire area. An air quality alert means that fine particulates concentrations within the region may approach or exceed unhealthy standards.

Tips For Coping With Poor Air Quality

On unhealthy air days, authorities suggest these health precautions:

• Children and older adults should reduce outdoor activities.
• Healthy individuals should limit strenuous work or exercise, especially outdoors.
• Individuals with respiratory and heart ailments, emphysema, asthma, or chronic bronchitis should limit their activity level. If breathing becomes difficult, move indoors.

To help reduce air pollution:

• Turn off lights and electronics when not in use and follow tips from your electric utility about how to use less electricity to cool your home.
• Avoid lawn mowing or use an electric mower.
• Use mass transit, carpool, or work from home to limit driving. Fill up your gas tank during evening hours.

For more information on air quality in the region, visit the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments websites.