By: Richard L. Smith
Newark and Elizabeth are among multiple cities in New Jersey that have been hit hard by a hazardous air quality alert, leading to the closure of schools in the area.
According to National Weather Service meteorologist, the poor air quality directly results from devastating wildfires raging in Canada, where RLS Media has learned that the flames have already consumed a staggering 9 million acres of forest.
NWS forecasters said the air quality index (AQI) in the region currently stands at 189 on a scale of 500, -as of the 6 am opening of our news platform- indicating significant pollution levels according to information obtained by RLS Media from airnow.gov.
While this is a slight improvement from Wednesday's readings, residents are still grappling with the effects of the hazardous air on Thursday morning.
Although better air pockets are on the horizon, experts caution that the situation is not entirely resolved. Wednesday saw the area blanketed by a plume of smoke originating from the Canadian wildfires lingering over Newark and the North Jersey region.
According to The National Weather Service, the current weather conditions show a humidity level of 58% and a northwest wind speed of 6 mph. The barometer reading stands at 29.67.
Looking ahead, NWS forecasters say there is a 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after 5 pm, which could potentially alleviate the smoky haze. However, widespread haze and smoke are expected to prevail, especially in the morning hours, with mostly cloudy skies throughout the day.
The temperature is forecasted to reach a high of around 74 degrees, accompanied by a gentle west wind ranging from 3 to 8 mph.
The closure of Newark and Elizabeth schools is a precautionary measure to protect students and staff from the harmful effects of poor air quality.
In the meantime, residents are advised to stay indoors as much as possible, keep windows and doors closed, and use air purifiers to mitigate the impact of the hazardous air.
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