Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - There's another Air Quality Alert posted for Western New York until midnight Friday, though the good news is conditions are improving after two days of unhealthy conditions.
Smoke from wildfires in Northern Minnesota and Ontario turned the sky orange Wednesday and a drab grey Thursday with the Air Quality Index surpassing the Very Unhealthy threshold, meaning anybody in good health or not was at risk.
"Right now the Air Quality Alert is for sensitive groups [only], so that is good news," National Weather Service meteorologist Heather Kenyon tells WBEN.
Storms, some potentially strong, will replace poor air as the biggest threat heading into the weekend.
"We're gonna have some scattered showers and a few thunderstorms move in as early as late tonight or early Saturday morning. Then we have the potential for some strong thunderstorms mainly Saturday afternoon into the evening." Kenyon adds there will be plenty of dry time in between bouts of showers and storms.
That storm system will help move wildfire smoke northward and away from the Buffalo-Niagara region. The threat isn't completely gone, however.
"It all depends on the conditions of the wildfires...and if the winds, if we get into a similar pattern and the smoke is still going on there is the potential it can move back into the area next week."
If you are in a sensitive group and deal with lung ailments, heart issues or are pregnant or have young children, you can monitor air quality at AirNow.gov.
AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT FRIDAY
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation at Albany has issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for Fine Particulates until midnight EDT tonight.
Air quality levels in outdoor air are predicted to be greater than an Air Quality Index value of 150 for Fine Particulates. The Air Quality Index...or AQI...was created as an easy way to correlate levels of different pollutants to one scale. The higher the AQI value...the greater the health concern.
When pollution levels are elevated...the New York State Department of Health recommends that individuals consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity to reduce the risk of adverse health effects. People who may be especially sensitive to the effects of elevated levels of pollutants include the very young and those with pre-existing respiratory problems such as asthma or heart disease. Those with symptoms should consider consulting their personal physician.
For additional information, please visit the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation website at, https://on.ny.gov/nyaqi, or call the Air Quality Hotline at 1 800 5 3 5, 1 3 4 5.
