Air quality improves to moderate; rain, shifting winds expected to clear smoke by July 4th

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Saturday’s air quality was classified as moderate, an improvement over earlier in the week when smoke from Canadian wildfires led to poor air quality and visibility across Northeast Ohio.

Rain and shifting winds are expected to keep air quality healthier in Northeast Ohio over the weekend and into July 4th, according to the National Weather Service.

“The overall trend is certainly a lot better,” said Brian Mitchell, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Cleveland. “We are expecting some more showers and thunderstorms today and the next couple of days to help clear things out.”

However, the amount of particulates in the air on Saturday, as well as the level of ozone, in Northeast Ohio was unhealthy for some people. Those who are unusually sensitive to particle pollution should consider reducing activity levels and limiting outdoor activities, according to the National Weather Service.

And an air quality advisory for ground level ozone and fine particulates, issued by the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency, is in effect through Saturday night for Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage and Summit Counties.

The air quality index was good to moderate across Ohio on Saturday, according to the weather service.

Smoke from Canadian wildfires resulted in health alerts, poor visibility and air particulate levels in the unhealthy range in Northeast Ohio in the past several days. The smoke was largely attributed to fires burning in Quebec, including one in particular east of James Bay that is roughly 2 million acres in size. The fires are expected to burn for weeks.

• Air over Northeast Ohio improving; Will there be wildfire smoke on July 4?

Smoke is made up of a complex mixture of gases and fine particles that can cause health problems such as burning eyes, runny nose, and illnesses such as bronchitis. Fine particles also can aggravate chronic heart and lung conditions, and they can lead to premature deaths, according to a federal report.

Winds that were funneling smoke from Canada to Ohio and portions of the United States have shifted, and they now are bringing cleaner air from the South and East, Mitchell said.

If the predicted thunderstorms roll through the area, the rain will further help clear smoke particulates from the air, he said.

Looking ahead, air quality is expected to remain moderate for the rest of the weekend and the Fourth of July, Mitchell said.

Thunderstorms are predicted for Saturday, Sunday and Monday, but skies should be partly cloudy with no rain forecast on July 4th, according to AccuWeather.