Much of U.S. Under Blanket of Smoke, Topping Headlines

Millions of Americans woke up to a thick layer of smoke and haze on Tuesday morning. What is causing the smoky conditions and when will they let up?

Here is the latest on this newly developing situation as well as a few other weather headlines from around the world.

Parts of Northern U.S. Dealing with Unhealthy Air Quality Levels

A large portion of North America is under a blanket of smoke that has filtered over the central U.S. and across much of Canada. The hazy air was visible as far south as Denver with forecasters warning that the smoke could expand even farther throughout the week.

Air quality levels plummeted to unhealthy levels in portions of North Dakota, the northeastern corner of Colorado, and eastern Montana and Wyoming. The thick smoke was also responsible for poor air quality in the Canadian Prairies.

Denver is the largest metro area in the U.S. dealing with the smoke and haze on Tuesday. The Mile High City began the day with air quality levels listed as poor. By the middle of the day, these ratings had reached the designation of unhealthy. Air quality levels of this degree are deemed hazardous for even healthy individuals.

Satellite imagery demonstrates that the smoke has tracked as far south as Texas and as far to the east as Michigan and Ohio. However, the air quality levels in these fringe areas were not registering as poorly as what the northern Plains were experiencing.