When Will The Smoke Clear In MI? Latest Forecast For Thursday

MICHIGAN — Smoke from wildfires burning hundreds of miles away in Canada could get worse in Michigan on Thursday and Friday, according to the National Weather Service.

All of southern Michigan was under an air quality alert through at least noon Friday, as forecasters said north/northeast winds will blow the wildfire smoke from Quebec and Ontario into the region.

The concentration of pollutants, or fine particles, from the Canadian wildfire smoke has pushed Thursday's air quality in southern Michigan to an unhealthy category for everyone, not just for those in "sensitive groups," such as those with asthma or respiratory issues, the weather service said.

"However, while the air quality will improve near the Atlantic coast on Thursday, it is likely to worsen in and around Toronto, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Detroit," according to AccuWeather forecasters.

Forecasters expect the smoke to start clearing out of southern Michigan sometime late Friday, when north/northwest winds move into the area, the weather service said. In addition, forecasters said widespread Saturday and Sunday rain showers in the region should remove any lingering haze from the wildfires.

There were no air quality alerts in effect for northern Michigan or the Upper Peninsula, although the National Weather Service warned that the region's dry conditions are still prone to fires.

The Canadian wildfire smoke has prompted "code red" alerts in the Northeast, such as New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York, where smoke hung thick in the air. The National Weather Service's air quality "levels of concern" showed "very unhealthy" or even "hazardous" air in parts of New York and Pennsylvania and merely "unhealthy" in other sections of the Northeast.

According to the Weather Channel, things could be slightly better for New York and parts of New England on Thursday, but the air quality will remain bad for places like Baltimore, parts of Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.

According to CNN, more than 55 million people in the Northeast, Midwest and mid-Atlantic are under air quality alerts due to wildfire smoke as more than nine million acres have been burned in Canada.

Here's a look at what's happening out east:

• When Will The Smoke Clear in Connecticut?
• Code Red Issued: How To Stay Safe In NJ's Wildfire Haze
• Wildfire Smoke Will Linger In PA: What To Expect
• When Will The Smoke Clear In New York City?