Smoke in D.C.'s skies traveled thousands of miles from the West Coast.

[elleng]

'Glancing skyward into a milky-orange haze, you may be noticing a dimmed sun in our skies. That haze is from the massive Western wildfires. It’s just a very small taste of what California, Oregon and Washington state have been dealing with.

Carried along by the jet stream, the swift river of winds about 20,000 to 30,000 feet aloft, the thick smoke arrived Monday on the East Coast, including the D.C. area. It will stick around through at least Thursday. While it promises more surreal skies, effects are on the ground are expected to be minimal.

The smoke is fortunately suspended too far aloft (at greater than 20,000 feet) to meaningfully affect the quality of the air we’re breathing near the ground. The U.S. government’s AirNow forecast calls for good air quality (code green) through Thursday.

The same cannot be said for the Pacific Northwest and West Coast, where air quality has been among the worst anywhere in the world for several days.

But by blotting out the sun, the smoke is interfering with what would have been a picture-perfect stretch of September days. If not for the fires, the D.C. area would be in the middle of a short preview of the best autumn has to offer: sparkling blue skies, pleasant temperatures and low humidity.

Instead, we have a rusty-gray smoke layer streaking over our skies.'>>>

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2020/09/15/wildfire-smoke-dc-maryland-virginia/?

[Siwsan]

1. Michigan's sky is on its 2nd day of noticeable haziness

The weather reports says is 'fair' and 'sunny'. Maybe, if you travel above this layer of grey. And I know it's just the power of suggestion that I can smell smoke. They are saying there is no health risk involved with what's blanketing the air. Not sure if I believe that, so I'm not spending much time outside.

[elleng]

2. Same here, DC area, 2d day,

and kind of disappointed weather report says 'sunny' 'cause it sure ain't, but light grey. Going out for a while, hoping I won't smell smoke.

[IronLionZion]

4. It's partly sunny here, with intermittent clouds and apparently some smoke

I see blue skies to the north and gray skies to the south

[kimbutgar]

3. Today is the first day I noticed here in San Francisco I actually saw view

It’s been a whole curtain of smoke that I could not see a block away from my deck. And also some sun.

[CentralMass]

5. The air quality in Oregon is worst in the world at the moment.

https://www.oregonlive.com/wildfires/2020/09/oregon-air-quality-remains-poor-tuesday-chance-of-showers-expected-in-portland.html

[Tree-Hugger]

6. Hazy in Southeast PA

It's 67 degrees and "Sunny" with a 42° dewpoint. That would normally mean bright blue skies, but the sky has gray haze to it.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

7. It's been hazy here in New Mexico,

I didn't think the smoke would have travelled even this far, but obviously I'm wrong.