Dense wildfire smoke blankets Detroit; air quality alert continues Friday in Michigan

Dense smoke will continue to blanket Southeast Michigan on Friday, as an air quality alert remains in effect statewide. 

Michigan's air quality remains hazardous throughout Friday morning and afternoon, but some relief is on the horizon for the nighttime.

Friday evening, a line of showers and a weak front will drift in our direction. The front is the key to clearing the smoke out of the way.

It's important to note that improvement is unlikely until 7 or 8 p.m. Friday at the earliest. This means the majority of the day will remain at the hazardous air quality mark.

Michigan's levels remain higher than those that the state experienced in 2023, which was the first time air alerts were issued for wildfire smoke in Michigan.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy continues to advise everyone, regardless of their health status, to avoid breathing in wildfire smoke, even for short periods, and especially unfiltered smoke for longer periods.

The NEXT Weather Team will continue to track our smoke and air patterns for any changes as the weekend approaches.