Air quality in the Baltimore region is expected to improve throughout the week as storms clear out residual Canadian wildfire smoke and other pollution.
Earlier this week, Canadian wildfire smoke reached the area, creating hazy skies and prompting a Code Orange air quality alert for two days, which indicates unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups, including children, older adults, and people with heart and lung disease. By Wednesday morning, the air quality improved to moderate conditions, according to the Maryland Department of the Environment.
Smoke concentrations may briefly rise Wednesday morning, particularly over Northern and Eastern Maryland, before again mixing out during the day, MDE said. Sensitive groups should continue to take precautions — an increase in ozone concentrations due to smoke returning from the south will likely trigger a Code Orange air quality alert again.
Storms on Wednesday and Thursday night should help further clean out any residual smoke and other pollution from the region, MDE said. There’s a 50% chance of precipitation Wednesday and a 60% chance of precipitation Thursday night, according to the National Weather Service.
This story may be updated.