The best chance for showers will be the first half of the day. It will be unseasonably cool under mainly cloudy skies. The beginning of the workweek will feature a mix of clouds and some sun. Readings will still be below the average high of the lower 80s. Temperatures will rise by midweek with the sun becoming the dominate feature in the sky. Highs by Thursday will reach the lower 90s!

Father’s Day: Scattered showers. Mainly the first half of the day, otherwise mostly cloudy and cool. High: 66.

Tonight: Cloudy. Spot shower Low: 58.

Monday: Clouds and sun. High: 71.

Tuesday: Partly sunny. High: 78.

Wednesday: Partly sunny. Warmer. High: 86.

Thursday: Partly sunny and hot. Isolated late day storm. High: 92.

The worst air in the country on June 14 is in New Castle County.

The air quality index in Wilmington as of 9:45 a.m. was 227, which is “very unhealthy,” according to AirNow. A monitor in Newark was at 240.

Before sunrise, the air quality index was a “hazardous” 422 in Wilmington.

The air quality index, or AQI, is a standardized rating system that assesses the severity of air pollution on a scale ranging from 0 to 500. The higher the number, the worse the quality.

An AQI below 50 is considered optimal; between 51 and 100 is considered moderate; and above 100, unhealthy.

Code Red alert issued for Delaware

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has issued a Code Red alert, advising New Castle County residents to stay indoors; keep vents, windows and doors shut; and wear a mask if going outdoors.

Hazardous smoke from a wildfire in southern New Jersey is being blown toward Wilmington and northern Delaware. The Mines Sprung Fire in Wharton State Forest in Burlington County was reported by the New Jersey Forest Service on June 13. An update on June 14 said the fire has burned 4,200 acres and is 40% contained. The cause is still under investigation.

National Weather Service meteorologist Joe DeSilva said the smoke is particularly bad in New Castle County because of a variety of unfortunate factors. The smoke got trapped under an inversion layer, which happens when warm air sits above cold air at the surface. This was combined with northeast winds, putting New Castle County in the crosshairs.

Delaware air quality affects events

Several events have been moved indoors or canceled already. The Special Olympics Delaware has canceled its Summer Games outdoor events.

Rain showers are in the forecast for the entire region this weekend, so fire crews in New Jersey could get some help from the weather.

This story includes reporting by Juan Carlos Castillo of the Asbury Park Press.

(This story was updated to add information.)