Will Rain Clear Wildfire Smoke In PA? See Latest Weekend Forecast

PENNSYLVANIA — Air quality is improving in Pennsylvania, and smoke and haze from Canadian wildfires will not be as heavy Friday as scattered showers move in, according to weather experts.

All counties in the Keystone State are still under an air quality alert Friday, with a “Code Orange Air Quality Action Day” in effect according to the state Department of Environmental Protection. A code orange air quality alert means that air pollution concentrations within the region may become unhealthy for sensitive groups, such as children, the elderly and those suffering from asthma or heart disease.

On Friday morning, air quality monitors throughout the state were registering between 64 to 129 AQI, or up to the “moderate” air quality level, according to AirNow.gov. That’s compared to AQI values peaking at 350-450, the “hazardous” category, in the region just 24 hours ago.

On Friday, the highest concentrations of smoke from the millions of acres burning in Canada will be “from Philadelphia on south,” added the National Weather Service.

“Smoke/haze is not expected to be as extreme compared to previous days though,” NWS forecasters said. “Take proper precautions if planning to be outside for an extended period of time, especially for at-risk groups!”

After 2 p.m. Friday and in the evening, showers and a few thunderstorms are expected to move through the region. Gusty winds and small hail are possible with this closed low, and forecasters with the NWS believe precipitation “will be able to punch through any smoke layers.”

The precipitation will not clear the smoke, and forecasters say some will remain until at least Sunday, with air quality levels continuing to get better. A shift in the winds is causing the smoke to drift eastward on Friday, closer to the Great Lakes region according to weather experts.

“Current RAP near-surface smoke model guidance has improving air quality for Sunday as well,” added the NWS.

Beyond the weekend, forecasters are looking toward some “much needed rainfall” possible in the region, from late Sunday night into Tuesday morning.

Related articles:

• Will The Smoke Clear Friday? PA’s Weekend Air Quality Forecast
• Pittsburgh Air Quality: When It Might Improve

Here is a look at the forecast through the weekend in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Friday
A slight chance of showers between 1pm and 3pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3pm. Widespread haze before 10am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. West wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday night
A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 8pm. Widespread haze before 11pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 51. West wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday
Sunny, with a high near 79. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Saturday night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 59. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Sunday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Light west wind becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning.

Sunday night
A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.