Fire. (Credit: Cullan Smith / Unsplash.com)
If you’ve noticed the sky has seemed a bit hazy and the sunsets appear to be viewed through a vivid pink filter, you are not alone. Meteorologists say the conditions are caused by a wildfire smoke blowing over the area.
The smoky conditions began Monday and continued Tuesday as thicker smoke from Canadian wildfires moved in.
The smoke comes from blazes burning across the provinces of Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. More than 25,000 people have been evacuated from their homes due to the fires, The Associated Press has reported.
Amid warmer temperatures and the lingering smoke, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission has issued a Code Orange air quality alert for Bucks County and the Philadelphia area for Wednesday.
The alert calls attention that air pollution concentrations may become unhealthy for sensitive groups, including children, the elderly, and individuals with asthma, heart disease or other lung conditions.
To minimize the negative impacts of air pollution, people who are more sensitive to poor air quality are advised to avoid strenuous outdoor activity or exercise.
Below is the forecast from the National Weather Service for the coming days:
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 86. Light south wind becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 60. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11pm, then a slight chance of showers between 11pm and 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 64. Southwest wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Friday: A chance of showers, mainly after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 85. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Friday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Saturday: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 77. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Saturday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 76.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 58.
Monday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
