DES MOINES, Iowa — Big changes arrived on Wednesday morning as Iowa kicked its hot ways to the curb.
A cold front brought in cooler temperatures across central Iowa, but with it came another burst of smoke from Canadian wildfires. The smoke filled the sky, spreading eastward across the state.
An Air Quality Warning was issued by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Wednesday afternoon for the western two-thirds of the state, including Des Moines. This air quality alert will extend through noon on Friday.
As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, Air Quality Index from Air Now is at 106. That puts parts of Iowa in the "Unhealthy" range on the index. Conditions are worse in western Iowa.
It is recommended that people reduce long or intense activities and take more breaks during this span. Those with heart or lung disease, older adults, children, teenagers and outdoor workers will be the most susceptible to the conditions and may experience breathing issues.
Visibility also suffered due to cloudy yet hazy skies, with most only able to see three to six miles clearly. This smoke is also surface-based, so you can smell it at times. This has also added to lowered air quality standards due to fine particulate pollution.
Conditions should hold into the “Unhealthy” range for Thursday with some slight improvement for Friday. A return of southerly wind this weekend should help clear up the air a bit.