Wildfire smoke in Massachusetts, NH impacting air quality NBC Boston [Video]

Our smoky sky is here to stay for Wednesday. In fact, the smoke becomes thicker this evening as another plume moves in overhead from the Canadian wildfires. 

This smoke will again distort the sky for sunset, then again for sunrise Thursday, leading to an orange/red/pinkish tint to the sun. This is due to light scattering through the smoke. The smoke particles scatter the short wavelengths of blue light, which leaves the longer light wavelengths like orange and red to get through to our eyes. 

This smoke is also creating poor to moderate air quality across the northeast. Those with respiratory ailments need to limit time outside on Wednesday and likely for Thursday as well. The peak of this harmful air quality seems to be Wednesday and Thursday. 

The smoke disperses a bit and into higher levels of the atmosphere as a cold front approaches and more widespread rain is expected Friday. Adding to the haze in the …