GREENSBORO, N.C. — Update: A Code Orange remains in place for Wednesday, and the forecast calls for a code orange for both Thursday and Friday.
Have you noticed the smoky sky? It's a very unusual sight for us here in North Carolina. Believe it or not, it's coming from wildfires almost 1,000 miles away in Canada.
Our Air Quality warning continues through Thursday, even though conditions have improved for Wednesday afternoon and evening.
The Code Red air quality alert has been downgraded to a Code Orange.
What's a "Code Orange" or "Code Red" Air Quality Warning?
You may get alerts on your phone for a "code orange" or "code red" air quality warning. This means that our air quality has dropped due to the wildfire smoke that has traveled into our area.
A "Code Orange" means it's unhealthy to spend a lot of time outside for sensitive groups. This includes those with asthma or any other respiratory conditions. Please limit your time outdoors if this includes you, or pass the word along to friends and family who this impacts.
A "Code Red" means it's unhealthy for anybody to spend a lot of time outdoors due to the increased smoke particles in the air.
There are two categories above code red which usually come into play if the wildfire is especially close to your area.
The current forecast shows a Code Orange for both Thursday and Friday.
Where's the smoke coming from?
The smoke is coming from wildfires in Canada, mostly. There have been several in recent weeks and months as their weather has been dry and unusually hot for this time of year.
Right now, the most intense fires are burning in Quebec, Canada. A northeast wind is moving this smoke into the Eastern United States. It's traveling into the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and even down to us here in the Southeast.
Typically, our winds wouldn't be blowing in this direction this time of year, but that's the way the weather pattern is positioned right now.
How long will it last?
The way the weather pattern is positioned right now, our winds will remain northerly for several days.
This will ensure our hazy sunshine will be sticking around through Thursday, Friday and even into Saturday possibly.
There may be some temporary relief today, as scattered showers move through the area, but another smoke plume will arrive on Thursday into Friday.
Conditions should start to improve by Sunday when our wind switches around to a more southerly direction, blowing the smoke back up the coast.
What to do?
Limit your time outisde. Spending less time outdoors will limit the impacts of the smoke on your breathing. Checking your air filters and replacing them for your home will help filter out particles inside as well.
