National Weather Service warns of poor air quality in CT Friday

The National Weather Service is warning Connecticut residents of potentially poor air quality on Friday, just weeks after the state was shrouded in smoke from Canadian wildfires for days.

The NWS Boston office issued an Air Quality Alert for most of Connecticut from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and reported that the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection had called for an Air Quality Action day Friday, a warning that comes when high concentrations of fine particulates in the area may approach or surpass healthy levels, the NWS said.

The air quality issues were again caused by smoke from wildfires in Canada drifting into the United States, according to DEEP.

Earlier this month, smoke moving into the region from about 160 wildfires in Canada resulted in unhealthy air quality forecasts for sensitive groups of people in Connecticut, including people with asthma or other respiratory issues.

Poor air quality means there is an increased risk of children, elderly people and those with respiratory issues or cardiopulmonary diseases developing respiratory symptoms or having their symptoms worsen, officials said.

Children and adults with asthma or other lung or cardiovascular diseases are at the highest risk of symptoms and should limit prolonged exertion outside when air quality is low, officials said.

As of Thursday evening, air quality was measuring at a moderate level of about 67.

Up-to-date air quality rates can be monitored at www.airnow.gov.