Air quality improves to moderate levels after days of hazy conditions in Delaware, region

Cameron Goodnight, Delaware News Journal
·2 min read

A smoky haze that lingered across Delaware for several days due to Canadian wildfires cleared up significantly on Saturday morning.

The First State recorded “moderate” air quality conditions on Saturday, meaning acceptable conditions but some sensitive people may wish to limit outdoor exposure, according to AirNow.gov, a government-run air-quality monitoring website.

One major improvement Saturday morning: The sky was visible and much of the smoke that blanketed Delaware was gone. The conditions represent a stark contrast from Wednesday, when much of the state reported an air quality index above 200, which is categorized as “very unhealthy" and officials recommended residents stay indoors as much as possible and wear masks outside.

A view of the Wilmington skyline on Friday, June 9, 2023. Delaware has been dealing with hazy skies and poor air quality the past few days due to wildfires in Canada.
A view of the Wilmington skyline on Friday, June 9, 2023. Delaware has been dealing with hazy skies and poor air quality the past few days due to wildfires in Canada.

When did air quality start to improve?

Most parts of Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey began seeing air quality index numbers drop throughout Thursday night into Friday. However, through Friday, Delaware and Pennsylvania were still under a Code Orange air quality alert, and New Jersey issued an Air Quality Action Day statewide.

As of 1 p.m. Saturday, the latest air quality index in much of Delaware and surrounding areas was in the “yellow” zone, a moderate range of 51-100. Here are the air quality index numbers through the Delaware Valley, according to AirNow.

  • Philadelphia: 92

  • New Castle County: 81

  • Sussex County: 73

  • Wilmington: 81

  • Doylestown, PA: 92

  • Levittown, PA: 68

  • Yardley, PA: 92

  • Cherry Hill, NJ: 68

  • Mount Holly, NJ: 68

  • Atlantic City, NJ: 70

Haze from smoke from Canadian wildfires are spreading back into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.
Haze from smoke from Canadian wildfires are spreading back into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.

Impact of the Canadian wildfires

So far, more than 6.7 million Canadian acres have burned in 2023, federal officials announced last week, marking one of the worst starts to wildfire season. Around 14,000 people were forced to evacuate Quebec, and there are reports of over 150 fires, CBC News reported.

The poor air quality led some Delaware sports leagues to postpone games and practices on Thursday. In addition, Delaware Park, a casino and racetrack in Stanton, canceled live horse racing on Wednesday and Thursday.

Low visibility from the haze also forced temporary "ground stops" on all flights out of New York's LaGuardia Airport and Philadelphia International Airport early Thursday.

What can Delawareans expect this weekend?

As air quality improves, the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, New Jersey, reports that we should enjoy the rest of the weekend. Sunny skies are expected with highs in the 80s on Saturday and Sunday.

Smoke and haze will continue to depart through the weekend, according to the weather service.

Contact local reporter Cameron Goodnight at cgoodnight@delawareonline.com, or by calling or texting 302-324-2208. Follow him on Twitter at @CamGoodnight.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Air quality in Delaware, region improves to moderate conditions