Air quality is expected to improve amid Mass. wildfires

A warm front will bring increasing clouds and light rain to New England Tuesday evening, with showers lingering into early Wednesday. Temperatures will warm up on Wednesday, reaching the mid-70s.

Air quality bottomed out this morning in the "very unhealthy" category over Salem and Lynn, Massachusetts. This is from brush fires and a "cap" of clouds/warm air aloft that are not allowing the smoke to escape into the upper atmosphere.

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A graph showing air quality on the North Shore in Massachusetts. It's worse Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, than on Monday. — A graph showing air quality on the North Shore in Massachusetts.

A map showing that rain is expected over much of New England about 1 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2024.

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A map showing weather systems keeping warm air over the Northeast.

Improved air quality is possible by Wednesday, with wind shifts and some light rain over the brush fires, but by Thursday the elevated fire risk returns, due to ongoing drought conditions and breezy winds. Also Thursday, temperatures will peak near record highs, in the upper 70s to low 80s, with some spots possibly reaching the mid-80s.

A cold front arrives Friday, bringing a few scattered showers but not much rain overall. After the front passes, temperatures will drop significantly for the weekend, with highs in the 50s and dry, sunny conditions.