🔴 Two out-of-control wildfires in Nova Scotia are creating the smoke

🔴 The smoke should impact the skies for much of the week

🔴 Air quality is not affected by the smoke


Smoke from two wildfires in Nova Scotia created hazy skies over New Jersey and much of the northeast Tuesday.

The wind-driven fires in Barrington Lake, Shelburne County along the province's southern coast and Westwood Hills, Tantallon near Halifax, the province’s largest city, have burned over 25,000 acres since Sunday.

The smoke is creating the same type of haze seen around the sun at sunrise and sunset from smoke carries east from the province of Alberta recently.

About 14,000 people have been forced from their homes by the fire, which was considered out of control as of Monday evening by the Nova Scotia government.

Map showing location of wildfires in Nova Scotia
Map showing location of wildfires in Nova Scotia (Canva)
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Backward winds

Winds out of the northeast are bringing the smoke towards the East Coast, causing the haze and even a slight smell of smoke, according to New Jersey 101.5 Chief Meteorologist Dan Zarrow.

"It is a bit unusual for conditions in eastern Canada to affect New Jersey, but our wind pattern is running backwards at the moment. High pressure over New England and low pressure over the mid-Atlantic puts New Jersey under east-northeast winds," Zarrow said. "The flow is just perfect for the Nova Scotia wildfire smoke to penetrate our atmosphere."

Air quality should not be affected by the smoke but it could help hold down temperatures.

The smoke should impact New Jersey for much of the week, according to Zarrow.

"Our wind direction and atmospheric flow is not going to change all week, which means the hazy, smoky conditions could continue for a while. Of course, that also depends on the thickness of the smoke and the spread of the fire," Zarrow said.

Smoke from Nova Scotia wildfires block the sun 5/29/23
Smoke from Nova Scotia wildfires block the sun 5/29/23 (NWS Mt Holly)
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Vertically Integrate Smoke map 5/30/23
Vertically Integrate Smoke map 5/30/23 (NOAA)
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