Editor’s Note: An air quality alert was issued for northwest Indiana, which will go into effect Monday night. An updated story can be found here. Our original story continues below.
Air quality in the Chicago area ranked as “Unhealthy for sensitive groups” early Monday morning as Canadian wildfire smoke once again impacts parts of the Midwest, including Wisconsin and Minnesota.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, an air quality alert was issued for the entire state through 12 p.m., with the heaviest smoke expected in the northern parts.
“Consider rescheduling or moving all activities inside,” the air quality alert for Wisconsin, including Kenosha County said. The alert went on to say that those with asthma or heart disease should pay close attention to symptoms like shortness of breath, unusual fatigue or palpitations.
As of 6:30 a.m., Airnow.gov reported Chicago’s air quality as “unhealthy for sensitive groups” with a PM2.5 of 114, which ranks as level three on a scale of six. Smoke from a house fire in Blue Island just outside Chicago Monday morning may have also impacted air quality for some.
“When AQI values are above 100, air quality is unhealthy: at first for certain sensitive groups of people, then for everyone as AQI values get higher,” the website states.
According to NBC 5 Meteorologist Alicia Roman, the smoke and haze in the Chicago area should decrease into the “moderate” category as the morning goes on.
“Not anticipating smoke to be a significant factor today,” the National Weather Service said, for Northern Illinois.
What is PM2.5?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “PM stands for particulate matter (also called particle pollution): the term for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air.”
“Some particles, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are large or dark enough to be seen with the naked eye. Others are so small they can only be detected using an electron microscope,” the EPA states.
PM2.5 in particular involves “fine inhalable particles, with diameters that are generally 2.5 micrometers and smaller.” By comparison, the average human hair strand is about 70 micrometers in diameter, or 30 times larger than these particles.
PM2.5 is one of five major air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act, which also includes ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.
Chicago forecast this week
Warm, dry conditions and low humidity were in the Chicago forecast Monday, but don’t expect that to last long, the NBC 5 Storm Team said, with rain, storms and “feels like” temperatures close to 100 degrees on the way.
“Tuesday, Wednesday, perhaps even Thursday, very humid conditions,” Roman warned, of the heat and humidity to come.
Monday morning however started off pleasant, with sunshine expected and highs in the mid-to-upper 80s.
Tuesday, most areas will stay dry, Roman said, with a low-end chance for rain that stays “few and far between.” High temperatures will reach the upper 80s and low 90s, Roman said.
A better chance for rain comes Wednesday, with a line of strong storms in the afternoon and evening. Some of those storms could produce gusty winds, hail and heavy downpours, Roman said.
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