Smoky skies are ahead in Michigan

• Smoky skies are expected in Michigan starting Wednesday morning 
• Wildfire smoke coming from Alberta, Canada will blow into the Lower Peninsula 
• The wildfire smoke could cause air quality issues for the region 

Michiganders can expect smoky skies starting Wednesday morning, and it has nothing to do with the weather. 

While thunderstorms are expected for much of the state Wednesday, wildfire smoke blowing from northwest Canada is expected to reach Michigan in the early morning.

“The reason it's being pulled into our area is because the broad weather pattern is … coming from the northwest to the southeast and so it just draws all the smoke derived from northern Canada down into the Midwest and the Great Lakes,” said Alex Manion, meteorologist for the National Weather Service’s Detroit office.

The smoke is blowing from Alberta, Canada, an area where there have been ongoing wildfires. There have been 170 active wildfires in the providence so far this year, and as of Tuesday morning several were considered “active” and “out of control.”

Related:

• Smoky skies that hurt lungs in Michigan in '23 likely to become more common
• Michigan under statewide advisory as Canada wildfire smoke hits Midwest
• Michigan air quality unhealthy again Monday because of Canadian wildfires
• When will the smoke clear in Michigan? What you need to know in the meantime

The Lower Peninsula will be most impacted by the wildfire smoke, which is expected to move into other parts of the Midwest by Thursday. But the wildfire smoke that’s expected won’t be nearly as bad as what it was this time last year. 

“You may notice a milky-colored sky overhead at times,” Manion said. “It's very, very rare that these wildfires’ smoke make it down to the surface and cause air quality problems. We had an event last year where it did, but most of the time, it stays a lot higher up in the atmosphere,” he added.

Last summer was Canada’s worst wildfire season in history, which caused Michigan to be under several air quality alerts throughout the season. 

Wildfire smoke could potentially cause problems for people who are sensitive to pollution like those with medical issues or outdoor workers. 

The air quality across the state was at good or moderate levels as of Tuesday morning, according to the U.S. Air Quality Index. In several cities across the Lower Peninsula like Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor and Detroit, the air quality is expected to be at moderate levels on Wednesday. 

Moderate air quality is acceptable but could be an issue for people who are particularly sensitive to air pollution like people with heart or lung disease, asthma, older adults or pregnant people. 

Air quality is measured on a color-coded scale from 0 to 500 and is calculated based on the amount of pollutants in the air. The lower the number, the cleaner the air.  The five major air pollutants are particulate matter, ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. 

Breathing in wildfire smoke may cause stinging eyes, wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath. Serious health effects can trigger asthma attacks and heart failure.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services recommends that people stay indoors, keep doors and windows closed, use air conditioning and avoid activities that contribute to pollution to avoid wildfire smoke and unhealthy air in general.