Wildfire Smoke Fills NoVA, DC Air: Code Orange Alert Issued

WASHINGTON, DC — A smoky haze from wildfires in Canada has filtered into the air over Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia Wednesday, prompting alerts for poor air quality. Conditions are expected to worsen on Thursday, the National Weather Service said.

The smoke has the entire state was under an air quality advisory and is in concentrations dangerous to people with respiratory diseases.

"Very poor air quality today along with reduced visibility between 3-6 SM. It is recommended to limit time outdoors. Wearing a mask may help limit irritation for those suffering from respiratory illnesses. More smoke expected Thursday & Friday," the National Weather Service said Wednesday morning.

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments has forecast a Code Orange air day for the metropolitan Washington region for Wednesday. That means the air is unhealthy for sensitive groups. Smoke coming from fires in Canada will contribute to the increased levels of fine particle pollution.

Clean Air Partners — which issues air quality forecasts for the Washington-Baltimore region — has Code Red air conditions for Baltimore, Annapolis and northern Maryland on Wednesday and Code Orange conditions for Washington, D.C., along with much of Northern Virginia, and Montgomery and Prince George's counties in Maryland.

When air quality is labeled code orange it is unhealthy for sensitive groups and means people with respiratory or heart ailments, older adults and children should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion. An air quality alert means that fine particulates concentrations within the region may approach or exceed unhealthy standards.

Fires over Quebec continue to produce prodigious smoke, which is being continuously funneled on northerly flow toward the Mid-Atlantic, the MDE said. A concentrated plume of smoke is working south through Pennsylvania and New York toward the eastern half of Maryland. This dense smoke will arrive Wednesday evening, raising fine particle concentrations notably. Nightly inversions will help to keep fine particles elevated through the night Tuesday into Wednesday. More smoke plumes from the fires in Quebec will push toward the region Wednesday evening.

A front on Friday will bring some reprieve to fine particle concentrations, but due to continued light northerly winds, unhealthy air due to fine particles remains a possibility.

Here's the latest DC area weather forecast:

Wednesday: Widespread haze. Patchy smoke. Sunny, with a high near 79. Northwest wind 5 to 8 mph.

Wednesday Night: Widespread haze. Patchy smoke. Partly cloudy, with a low around 57. West wind around 6 mph.

Thursday: Widespread haze. Patchy smoke. Sunny, with a high near 77. West wind 7 to 9 mph.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 57. Northwest wind 5 to 8 mph.

Friday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 76. Northwest wind 6 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

For more information on ground-level ozone and fine particles visit the Virginia DEQ air quality website.