Air quality improving in northeast, while wildfire smoke hangs over midwest

News Air quality improving in northeast, while wildfire smoke hangs over midwest July 18, 20262:15 PM ET Kristin Wright Smoke from massive wildfires in Canada and Minnesota engulf the Washington, D.C. skyline on July 17, 2026, reducing visibility and casting a colored haze over the Lincoln Memorial. Finn Gomez/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Finn Gomez/Getty Images WASHINGTON — Poor air quality persisted in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwestern states on Saturday, as smoke from hundreds of wildfires burning in Minnesota and Canada continued to spread and envelop skylines. The National Weather Service (NWS) said heavy rain and storms could help clear the air in the northeast and mid-Atlantic this weekend, while dangerous levels of air pollution will still hang over the Midwest. Climate Link between raging wildfires and climate change is greater than ever "As we start clearing out here in the east, they're going to get the next batch of smoke later this afternoon into tonight across areas from upper Michigan, eastern Wisconsin, into Illinois and Indiana, including Chicago," NWS Forecaster Brian Hurley told NPR. "That will continue through [Sunday], unfortunately." Major League Baseball postponed Friday's game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cleveland Guardians due to poor air quality in Cleveland until Saturday. Hurley said conditions in the National Capital Region are improving, following the eerie appearance of Washington, D.C. landmarks in a thick, smoky haze. Air pollution will still be elevated. Sponsor Message "But not nearly to the level that we've been seeing. We're only talking about maybe a fourth or a third of the concentration of particulates," he explained, adding the haze will have mostly faded away by Sunday. Clearer air conditions are also expected in areas north of D.C. along the east coast, including New York City and northern New Jersey, where Sunday's World Cup final between Argentina and Spain will be played at MetLife Stadium...