New Jersey: Air Quality Update, What To Look Forward To This Weekend

The hazardous air quality has been the topic of the week in New Jersey as Canadian wildfires have led the Garden State to have the worst air quality in decades. According to AirNow.Gov, the air quality is now in the "moderate" range or classified as "unhealthy for sensitive groups."

As we head into the weekend, starting Friday night (June 9), the air quality alert remains in effect throughout midnight for all 21 counties in the state. Mount Holly Weather Service tweeted at around 5:30 a.m. this morning with an update.

"Conditions continue to improve this morning in terms of the smoke/haze and air quality," the weather service wrote. "Just 24 hours ago, AQI values were around 350-450. We will see some improvement today, though Air Quality Alerts remain in effect throughout the region."

As for the northern part of the state, the air quality has seemingly improved as well.

"Much improved air quality today as much of the smoke that has been impacting the region the past week has generally pushed out of the area," said the weather service’s New York office, which covers the five northeast counties of Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic, and Union, per NJ.com.

In addition to the smoke clearing and the air quality improving, there is a chance for scattered showers for Friday night. On Saturday, there will be a high of 80, and more smoke will clear. Sunday will follow with sunny and hot weather as temps reach about the mid to upper 80s, per the publication.

On Wednesday, readings were above 200 which is described as "very unhealthy." Wednesday's air quality was the worst in 43 years. Previously the worst day was on July 21, 1980, when it was the earliest federal data available. The index hit 286 out of a scale of 0-500.

You can track the weather in your town and county here at  AirNow, home of the U.S. Air Quality Index.