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Smoky Summer: Could Week Of Wildfires Be Preview Of What's Ahead?

Are this week's smoky skies a preview of Summer 2023 in the Northeast?

Wildfire smoke forecast June 8 and 9, 2023.

Wildfire smoke forecast June 8 and 9, 2023.

Photo Credit: AccuWeather

According to U.S. National Weather Service meteorologist Bryan Ramsey, that depends.

Ramsey is quoted by CBS New York saying "it's really just going be all about the wind shift."

According to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson, the Canadian wildfires are showing no signs of slowing down and will "likely continue to burn over Quebec into the summer, as they are in remote, heavily wooded areas," he said.

But, if what Ramsey is saying is true, then raging fires in Canada — and locally, for that matter — don't necessarily mean smokey skies for summer.

"There is still some haze, but thicker smoke has shifted south & east, off the coast, with improving air quality across our region," the NWS' Mount Holly/Philadelphia Office said.

Air quality across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia were significantly better on Friday, June 8, compared to Thursday, June 7. AirNow.Gov clocked most areas at a "yellow" or "moderate" air quality — save for the Pittsburgh area which remained orange.

Forecasters are, however, predicting wind to push smoke back into the region just as the weekend got under way.

It's still too soon to say.

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