Latest news with #respiratoryIssues
CBS News
30-07-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Triple-digit temperatures, heat advisory continues in North Texas before rain chances return
North Texas officially hit 100 degrees for the first time in 2025 yesterday afternoon and more triple-digit temperatures are on the way Wednesday. "Feels-like" temperatures reaching up to 108 degrees on Wednesday and the heat advisory issued on Tuesday by the National Weather Service continues until 7 p.m. for most of North Texas. As high pressure continues to build over the area, so do temperatures. Highs on Wednesday will be a little warmer than Tuesday, around 102 degrees in Dallas-Fort Worth with lots of sunshine. The light winds, sunny skies and hot temperatures all add up to another air quality alert for Wednesday as well. If you have upper respiratory issues, minimize your time outdoors, especially in the afternoon when it will be unhealthy for sensitive groups. After one more day in the triple digits tomorrow, a weak front slides into the area Thursday evening and an isolated shower or storm is possible mainly north of I-20. The front stalls out in the area through this weekend, keeping isolated storm chances in the forecast during the afternoon hours. Widespread severe weather is not expected but an isolated strong to marginally severe storm with gusty winds is possible. The clouds and spotty showers mean a cooler weekend with temperatures nearly 10 degrees below today's high.
CTV News
09-06-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
How wildfire smoke will move across Canada this week
A continued movement south and east of wildfire smoke from blazes in northern BC, northern Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and northern Ontario is expected through the first half of this week. An area of high pressure out of the north is likely to stagnate smoke in the vicinity of the wildfires by the end of the week. Air quality alerts persist At the start of this week, wildfire smoke is densest and closest to the surface in northeastern BC, northern Alberta, central and eastern Manitoba, and parts of Northern Ontario. A series of Air Quality Statements and Warnings remains in effect by Environment Canada. Statements generally caution on minor irritants from the presence of wildfire smoke and possible more adverse impacts for those with existing respiratory issues. Air Quality Warnings are typically issued for locations experiencing more widespread and persistent heavy smoke conditions. The warnings caution that the heavy smoke conditions put everyone's health at risk regardless of age or health status. Air quality alerts Air Quality Statements and Warnings in effect by Environment Canada on Monday. Low pressure moves smoke east The counterclockwise motion in the atmosphere created by two low pressure systems will move wildfire smoke into the Great Lakes region, U.S. Midwest, and southern Quebec through Wednesday. The one positive with the low-pressure systems is that they will be associated with some areas of rain. Rain can help clean the fine particulate matter that comprises the wildfire smoke from the atmosphere. Parts of Atlantic Canada can expect some of that wildfire smoke being pushed by the lows late Wednesday into Thursday. For that part of the country the smoke is very likely to be thin and high enough not to impact air quality. Wednesday Wildfire smoke moves eastward through mid-week with a pair of low pressure systems. Some high haze returning over parts of Atlantic Canada late Wednesday and Thursday. Smoke stagnates Thursday, Friday High pressure developing out of the Northwest Territories and moving down the border of Manitoba and Ontario will cut off the flow of smoke to the east at the end of this week. The high-pressure system will also work to stagnate the weather pattern and movement of the wildfire smoke in the Prairies Thursday and Friday. A low-pressure system stalling out near the southwestern corner of Alberta will also stall the movement east of the smoke and potentially give it a slight westward movement on Friday. Areas on Friday likely to be in the vicinity of the densest plumes of smoke include parts of northern Manitoba, northern Saskatchewan, northern Alberta, and northeastern BC. Friday A blocking area of high pressure near the border of Manitoba and Ontario will cut off the movement eastward of wildfire smoke at the end of this week.
Daily Mail
02-06-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mail
Apocalyptic aerial hazard the size of US barrels toward Florida triggering public health warnings
A massive plume of dust the size of the entire US is moving across the Atlantic Ocean and is set to hit Florida this week. The dust cloud is coming from the Sahara Desert and was formed by strong winds sweeping tiny sand and mineral particles off the surface. Officials in Puerto Rico have already warned residents of poor air quality as the dust sweeps over the Caribbean. The National Weather Service alerted the island that 'peak concentrations of Sahara dust from this event are rolling in and arriving in the next few hours.' The plume is predicted to hit South Florida by Wednesday and the Gulf States a few days later, but locals could begin seeing dust hanging in the atmosphere sooner. Experts warn that it can make breathing difficult, especially for people with asthma, allergies, or other respiratory issues, because it carries fine particles that can irritate the lungs. As of Monday, t he cloud extended roughly 2,000 miles from Jamaica to well past Barbados in the eastern Caribbean, and about 750 miles from the Turks and Caicos Islands in the north down to Trinidad and Tobago in the south. 'It's very impressive,' said Alex DaSilva, lead hurricane expert with AccuWeather. While the plume is moving toward the US, DaSilva said it likely lost most of its concentration in the eastern Caribbean. 'Those islands tend to see more of an impact, more of a concentration where it can actually block out the sun a little bit at times,' he added. Scientists in Florida have reported seeing slightly hazy skies this wee, Joseph Prospero, professor emeritus at the University of Miami Center for Aerosol Science and Technology, told The New York Times: 'Typically we have nice blue skies, but with the dust, the whole sky looks soft and warm because the particles themselves are red.' 'Everything looks muted,' he added. The dry and dusty air known as the Saharan Air Layer forms over the Sahara Desert in Africa and moves west across the Atlantic Ocean starting around April until about October. Each summer, seasonal weather patterns like the West African Monsoon and high-pressure systems create strong winds that sweep across the Sahara. These winds pick up tiny particles known as aeolian dust and lift them into the atmosphere. Meanwhile, the Bermuda-Azores High, a high-pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean, produces steady east-to-west winds that help carry the dust across the ocean. It also prevents tropical waves from forming during the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs June 1 to November 30. June and July usually have the highest dust concentration on average, with plumes traveling anywhere from 5,000 feet to 20,000 feet above the ground, DaSilva said. In June 2020, a massive Saharan dust cloud, nicknamed the 'Godzilla plume,' swept from West Africa across the Atlantic, bringing hazy skies from Texas to the Carolinas. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) called it the largest event in nearly 50 years, with reduced visibility and air quality alerts issued across multiple states. Then in July 2023, another thick wave of Saharan dust blanketed Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi, turning skies orange and pushing air quality into 'unhealthy for sensitive groups' in cities like Miami and Houston. This year's plume is different as it's earlier, denser, and more concentrated, with higher levels of fine particles. As a result, health officials and meteorologists are keeping a close eye on its impact. The size and intensity of these dust clouds vary from year to year, but scientists believe that shifting wind patterns and climate change may be contributing to more frequent and powerful plumes.
