Smoke from Canadian wildfires to pass overhead, with moderate Long Island air quality below, NWS says

Yes, Canadian wildfires are still burning. And yes, those wildfires are still sending smoke into the air.

But, the National Weather Service said Thursday, unless you are in the upper atmosphere or somewhere out in the Midwest, chances are that, unlike last week when Long Island was blanketed in dense, smoke-filled air, you won't notice a thing.

"I saw somewhere the term 'apocalyptic,' " lead meteorologist-in-charge at the weather service office in Upton, Bill Goodman, said Thursday. "But, even last week it wasn't apocalyptic. Yes, there's smoke. We're watching it pass overhead. But, it's aloft. Who cares? This isn't something affecting air quality, right now. It's not something you'll notice. If you happen to be up watching the sunrise Friday you'll probably see a bright red sun. But, other than that? The near-surface smoke forecast is negligible."

The weather service had no warnings or advisories in effect for Nassau or Suffolk for Friday as of Thursday evening. And the forecast calls for partly cloudy skies for Friday with showers and a possible storm in the afternoon and into Saturday.

That rain will prove to be a friend, if it comes, Goodman said, because Saturday is the time when air currents could push some wildfire smoke down to surface level, he said. But rain would help negate any possible effects on air quality.

Thursday evening, Gov. Kathy Hochul put out a statement saying the statewide forecast for Friday "shows smoke from Canadian wildfires is expected to be visible high in the atmosphere with moderate levels of fine particulate pollution at ground level ... far below the levels experienced by New Yorkers last week and below the threshold for issuing an Air Quality Health Advisory."

In fact, Goodman said, the biggest air quality issues right now are in places like southern Minnesota, northern Illinois and Iowa, where that Canadian wildfire smoke is creating conditions similar to what was experienced last week in the metro area, which includes Nassau and Suffolk.

There are concerns that downpours Friday and Saturday could cause localized flooding.

As for the air quality, breathe deep, officials said. Right now, it's all good. 

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”