Wildfire Smoke Returns To North Jersey Skies: What To Know

NORTH JERSEY — Smoke from Canadian wildfires returns to the forecast for northern New Jersey residents on Thursday evening and into Friday, forecasters said.

A map from the National Weather Service's office in New York City shows that counties including Bergen, Hudson, Essex, Passaic, Morris, Hunterdon, Somerset, Middlesex, and Union counties may be experiencing near-surface smoke by noon Friday.

However, air conditions are not predicted to be nearly as bad this week in New Jersey as late last week, when state environmental officials issued a "Code Red" for poor air quality, forecasters said. The sky may appear hazy at sunset Thursday and sunrise Friday, but air levels are not expected to be unhealthy or hazardous in New Jersey.

"The good news is that per the latest High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) Smoke model forecasts, the vast majority of the smoke should remain aloft," the NWS tweeted.

Further south, the NWS office in Mount Holly did not forecast surface-level smoke for counties in central and southern New Jersey, or along the shore for Thursday and Friday. Smoke from the wildfires has been limiting solar insolation, though, forecasters added — "and thus temperatures are running a bit cooler than previously forecast."

The smoke will not stay long, either, as incoming storms and shifting winds will reduce the smoke over Northeastern U.S. skies by the end of the week according to AccuWeather.

Showers and thunderstorms - some strong to severe - are in store Friday, the weather service said, with gusty winds and small hail also possible. Related article — NJ Weather: Severe Thunderstorms On The Way, Forecasters Say

On Thursday, smoke from the wildfires caused air quality levels to rise to unhealthy levels in Midwestern states including Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois according to AirNow.gov.

On Thursday, the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre was at a national preparedness level of five, the highest level of wildfire activity response, as fires continued to blaze across the nation, AccuWeather said.

Wildfires have burned over 12.3 million acres since the start of the year, roughly 158,676 of which were in Ontario. This week, winds from the north and northeast will carry the smoke from those fires in the province into the Upper Midwest due to the combination of high pressure over the northern Plains and low pressure over the Northeast, AccuWeather said.

This story contains reporting from Patch's Maureen Mullarkey.