Michigan will be under a statewide air quality alert on Sunday, July 16, as a plume of smoke moves south.
State environmental officials are issuing the alert due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. The smoke is expected to make Michigan’s air quality mostly moderate (PM-2.5), which is unhealthy for sensitive groups.
Several counties in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula were under an air quality alert on Saturday, July 15, due to a large plume of smoke. That plume is expected to move south, across the rest of the state on Sunday.
State air quality official Stephanie Hengesbach expects the air quality will mostly stay in the unhealthy for sensitive groups range, but unhealthy levels are possible. Rain is expected to keep ozone in check over the weekend, but ozone concentrations will be monitored.
“We are forecasting Moderate ozone both Saturday and Sunday across the state, but if we feel ozone will increase into the USG range, we will update our forecast areas to reflect the change, triggering EnviroFlash notifications,” Hengesbach wrote.
Hengesbach wrote that the smoke plume could clear the area early next week, but lingering fine particulate could increase ozone concentrations. Officials will continue to monitor the air quality until the threat for increased pollution is over.
---> Learn more about what air quality alerts mean
Here’s the AQI Index chart: (You can also check the AirNow map here)