ALERT DAY: Code Purple air quality alert in effect as Canadian wildfire smoke spreads across Pennsylvania
Now the alert day forecast from the WGAL News 8 storm team. Good morning, 6:47, and boy, if you look outdoors, it just doesn’t look good out there. We have *** code purple air quality alert in effect. It is hazy. The smoke is dense, and it’s near the surface. That’s why it’s affecting our surface air quality. So today, the air quality is harmful to even hazardous for some people. You can see right now we are firmly in that harmful zone with *** little circle of hazard. air quality the worst it can get right over your county and the northwestern corner of Lancaster County. So we are in the thick of the smoke right now, and here’s the forecast for later today. That smoke plume still lingers. There’s *** chance we see *** little relief in the northeastern corner of Pennsylvania, but I think in the Susquehanna Valley we are still under the worst of it today and tonight. Now tomorrow things change rapidly. In the afternoon as our wind direction shifts, we’re going to kick that poor air quality out of here. I do expect improving conditions by Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening, making it *** bit better to breathe outdoors. Now, at the same time, we’re going to have to deal with strong to severe storms on Saturday, but the air quality does improve. Here’s *** look at the forecast today. Code purple, harmful. Tomorrow we’re slated for code orange, which is unhealthy for sensitive groups, and then moderate air quality on Sunday and Monday, which is more typical air quality that we see here in the summer. Today’s alert day forecast calls for smoke and haze blocking the sunshine this morning. Certainly looks dim and dark out there and low visibility to boot. So when you’re driving, you might not be able to see very far in front of you because of the thick smoke and haze. Our high today, we still make the 90 mark. Some spots will be in the upper 80s, and it won’t be as humid as yesterday. Tonight smoke and haze linger, reducing visibility. It’ll be muggy again with lows in the 70s, and tomorrow an impact day due to the chance of scattered storms. Some could be strong, especially late. Isolate, uh, the evening, early overnight hours for *** cold front to come through, and that’s when we could see some of the strongest storms tomorrow. Here’s *** look at our currents. It’s 61 degrees in Lewistown, 72 in Harrisburg, holding at 68 in Lancaster, and *** pair of 6s for Lebanon. If it wasn’t *** smoky, hazy day, it’d be *** beautiful day. We’d have sunshine right now, dew points dropping to the upper 50s. That’s nice stuff, but not the best day to be outdoors. You want to limit your time outdoors today. Storm Team live radar network. *** weak cold front passed yesterday that helped to lower our humidity, and out to the west you can barely tell where it is. There’s *** cold front west of Chicago. That’s what’s going to come in and bring in our storm chances tomorrow. So ahead of that we have *** slight risk of severe weather for the entire Commonwealth, the entire region really tomorrow. We’re going to be watching out for as our primary threat damaging wind gusts. Flash flooding is also *** concern because we could see some heavy rain, but it’s been dry lately. And then *** lower threat of hail or an isolated tornado. So we’re going to keep all weather threats on the table tomorrow. Here’s how today shapes up. We have the low humidity coming in, but the thick smoke and haze making it not *** good ideal day to be outdoors. For tonight, clouds come in, the smoke and haze linger, and tomorrow morning it looks mainly dry. There is *** warm front edging in, and I always don’t rule out *** chance for *** few showers or *** thunderstorm with the passage of that front. However, Smoke has been limiting our storm chance lately, so we might not see much at all tomorrow morning. Tomorrow afternoon, different story. Here comes *** cold front, and ahead of that, here’s some scattered showers and storms. They could be strong to severe in the afternoon, especially as we head toward dinner time. And then late in the evening, that’s when I expect the strongest storms to be overhead that could produce the damaging wind gusts and the heavy rain. All of that ends by midnight, uh, Saturday night into early. Sunday morning and then the big blue H is back for Sunday. High pressure that’s going to give us *** nice second half of the weekend. So here’s your 10 day forecast. Sunday’s high is 86. Best day to get outdoors over the next three. Monday pleasant, 86. I like to start the work week out like that. Chance of storms Tuesday into early Wednesday. Once that cold front moves through, I think it’s going to be comfortable at the end of next week with lower humidity and seasonable temperatures for the end of July.
ALERT DAY: Code Purple air quality alert in effect as Canadian wildfire smoke spreads across Pennsylvania
A Code Purple air quality alert is in effect for all of south-central Pennsylvania as thick wildfire smoke continues to spread across the region, creating harmful to hazardous conditions for residents. The smoke, driven by wildfires burning in southern Ontario and northern Minnesota, is spreading across the Great Lakes and Northeast, keeping air quality at very unhealthy levels on Friday. The WGAL News 8 Storm Team has declared Friday an Alert Day, meaning the threat of extreme, severe and possibly life-threatening weather is possible. What is Code Purple? A Code Purple air quality alert means the Air Quality Index has climbed above 200, indicating very unhealthy to harmful air quality. This is extremely rare for the Susquehanna Valley. At this level, wildfire smoke and pollution are dangerous for everyone, not just people with asthma, heart disease or other health conditions. Below: Swipe through the hour-by-hour smoke forecast That exposure can raise the risk of: Breathing problems Coughing and throat irritation Burning or stinging eyes More serious complications for vulnerable groups Safety precautions Residents are urged to take precautions while the Code Purple alert remains in effect. Keep windows and doors closed Set HVAC systems to recirculate indoor air Limit time outdoors if possible Monitor symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath Weather conditionsTemperatures are expected to reach 90 degrees Friday under an overcast haze. While humidity may be lower than the previous day, smoky conditions will continue to affect visibility and air quality. Overnight lows are expected to fall into the low 70s, with smoke and haze lingering into the night. When will air quality improve? Smoke concentrations will remain high through tonight before conditions begin to improve on Saturday as winds shift, a warm front moves in, and smoke gradually lifts out. Air quality outlook: Friday: Harmful Saturday: Poor Sunday: Moderate Monday: Moderate Check your local air qualityResidents can check real-time air quality readings for their neighborhood by visiting AirNow.gov and entering a location or ZIP code. That will show the latest conditions in your immediate area. Right now, readings across the Susquehanna Valley are showing purple to maroon levels, which indicate very unhealthy, harmful, and even hazardous air quality — the worst categories on the scale. Below: Air quality data across south-central PA as of 5 a.m. on July 17, 2026Did you capture the haze and would like to share with News 8? Send us your photos or videos at https://www.wgal.com/upload. Drone video: Canadian wildfires leave hazy sky over Elizabethtown, PennsylvaniaCheck live conditions around the ValleyDrone video: Canadian wildfire smoke settles over the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg SOUTH-CENTRAL PA WEATHER RESOURCES: INTERACTIVE RADAR | ACTIVE WEATHER ALERTS | CURRENT CONDITIONS | HOURLY FORECAST | 10-DAY FORECAST | WEEKEND FORECAST | MAP ROOM | DOWNLOAD THE APP | WEATHER EMAILS
A Code Purple air quality alert is in effect for all of south-central Pennsylvania as thick wildfire smoke continues to spread across the region, creating harmful to hazardous conditions for residents.
The smoke, driven by wildfires burning in southern Ontario and northern Minnesota, is spreading across the Great Lakes and Northeast, keeping air quality at very unhealthy levels on Friday.
The WGAL News 8 Storm Team has declared Friday an Alert Day, meaning the threat of extreme, severe and possibly life-threatening weather is possible.
What is Code Purple?
A Code Purple air quality alert means the Air Quality Index has climbed above 200, indicating very unhealthy to harmful air quality. This is extremely rare for the Susquehanna Valley.
At this level, wildfire smoke and pollution are dangerous for everyone, not just people with asthma, heart disease or other health conditions.
Below: Swipe through the hour-by-hour smoke forecast
That exposure can raise the risk of:
Breathing problems Coughing and throat irritation Burning or stinging eyes More serious complications for vulnerable groups
Safety precautions
Residents are urged to take precautions while the Code Purple alert remains in effect.
Keep windows and doors closed Set HVAC systems to recirculate indoor air Limit time outdoors if possible Monitor symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath
Weather conditions
Temperatures are expected to reach 90 degrees Friday under an overcast haze.
While humidity may be lower than the previous day, smoky conditions will continue to affect visibility and air quality.
Overnight lows are expected to fall into the low 70s, with smoke and haze lingering into the night.
When will air quality improve?
Smoke concentrations will remain high through tonight before conditions begin to improve on Saturday as winds shift, a warm front moves in, and smoke gradually lifts out.
Air quality outlook:
Friday: Harmful Saturday: Poor Sunday: Moderate Monday: Moderate
Check your local air quality
Residents can check real-time air quality readings for their neighborhood by visiting AirNow.gov and entering a location or ZIP code. That will show the latest conditions in your immediate area.
Right now, readings across the Susquehanna Valley are showing purple to maroon levels, which indicate very unhealthy, harmful, and even hazardous air quality — the worst categories on the scale.
Below: Air quality data across south-central PA as of 5 a.m. on July 17, 2026
Did you capture the haze and would like to share with News 8? Send us your photos or videos at https://www.wgal.com/upload.
Drone video: Canadian wildfires leave hazy sky over Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania
Check live conditions around the Valley
Drone video: Canadian wildfire smoke settles over the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg
SOUTH-CENTRAL PA WEATHER RESOURCES: INTERACTIVE RADAR | ACTIVE WEATHER ALERTS | CURRENT CONDITIONS | HOURLY FORECAST | 10-DAY FORECAST | WEEKEND FORECAST | MAP ROOM | DOWNLOAD THE APP | WEATHER EMAILS