Air quality in the Mid‑Atlantic was poor early Saturday due to smoke from large wildfires in Canada. The Air Quality Index in Washington, D.C., reached 175, classified as unhealthy to very unhealthy, for the 30th consecutive hour.

The smoke drifted across the United States, with D.C. ranking second behind Toronto among major cities for pollution. Forecasts indicated the smoke would linger through Saturday morning before diminishing in the afternoon. A storm system to the west produced southerly winds that pushed the smoke back toward the Northeast, affecting cities such as Philadelphia, New York, Pittsburgh and expected to reach Boston later.

Strong to severe thunderstorms were forecast for Saturday afternoon across the region, with the Storm Prediction Center assigning an enhanced risk level 3 out of 5 for areas including Buffalo, Cleveland, D.C., Philadelphia and New York. Damaging winds and possible tornadoes were noted as threats. Interaction between the smoke and the storm could intensify odors and deposit soot on surfaces; rain would help remove particles from the air.

Later, smoke was expected to move toward the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and northern Wisconsin, then to Chicago and Detroit late Saturday into Sunday, though concentrations near the ground were expected to be low from Washington, D.C., to New York and elsewhere, including East Rutherford, New Jersey, where the World Cup final was scheduled. Additional smoke plumes could reach Greenland, Iceland and the Azores early next week, but forecasted rain in western Ontario should reduce future plume intensity.

Climate scientist Zeke Hausfather noted that lightning accounts for about 71 percent of burned area in Canada from 1990 to 2023, and that fire activity correlates with temperature, as warmer air dries vegetation and facilitates fire spread. He also discussed the role of prescribed burns, which are useful near communities but less effective in vast, remote boreal forests where fire cycles are natural.

The smoke season is unlikely to surpass the 2023 record for area burned, yet it continues to impact air quality. Weather patterns and upcoming rain are expected to mitigate concentrations, though variability remains.