Canadian wildfire smoke that turned skies over New Hampshire into a yellowish, brownish haze has prompted the state to issue a smoke advisory.
The state Department of Environmental Services issued a smoke advisory for Tuesday and Wednesday, noting concentrations of fine particle air pollution from the wildfire smoke could reach unhealthy levels for people with respiratory health issues.
It recommends individuals should consider limiting strenuous or prolonged activities outside during the advisory.
DES issued an air quality alert for Thursday, advising people to take precautions by limiting their prolonged outdoor exertion, even for healthy adults with no known respiratory issues.
Conditions are expected to improve Friday afternoon, though the smoke plumes high over the Northeast may persist.
People with asthma and other lung or respiratory conditions may not be able to breathe as deeply as normal, and may experience coughing or shortness of breath, according to DES.
Other symptoms may include chest pain, palpitations, and difficulty breathing.
The smoke is heading east over New England, where heat and humidity are expected to stick around into this evening.
The maximum heat index is forecast to climb to near 95 degrees and as high as 105 degrees in greater Manchester, according to the National Weather Service. The nighttime low temperature will remain in the 70s, which could contribute to cumulative heat stress into Wednesday.
A heat advisory remains in effect in New Hampshire until 8 p.m. Tuesday.
The skies caught many Granite Staters by surprise.
“Don’t be alarmed, this is just smoke in the upper atmosphere,” the National Weather Service in Gray, Maine, posted on social media. “There is plenty of smoke upstream, so expect periods of hazy skies over the next day before the cold front pushes through.”
The wildfire smoke is pushing into Maine late Tuesday afternoon.
More forecasts: See more regional forecasts and the higher elevations forecast from our partners at the Mount Washington Observatory
Editor's note: This story was first published at 3:15 p.m. and updated with additional information at 5:20 p.m. on July 14, and again at 4:10 p.m. July 15.
