Smoke from Canadian Fires Covers Iowa
Iowans across the state woke to another smoky cloudiness that will probably persist into Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
Air quality in Des Moines is currently rated as unhealthy with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 159 as of Sunday morning, based on AirNow data. Individuals with heart or lung disease, older adults, children, and teenagers are advised to reduce exposure to outdoor activities.
Meteorologist Alexis Jimenez stated that the smoke is once again originating from Canada, where there are 880 wildfires, particularly in the western part of the country.
"Our winds are coming from the northwest, blowing a lot of that smoke into our region this weekend, as seen yesterday and today," she said. "In terms of surface impact, we're expecting haze and reduced air quality for much of today."
Ground level visibility is expected to be around seven or eight miles but is expected to improve on Monday.
Isolated showers and rainstorms are anticipated Sunday night, according to the NWS forecast.
