Ask the Meteorologist: Will wildfire smoke impact World Cup final in NJ?

Wildfire smoke has created dangerous air quality for millions of people across the Midwest, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. In the Northeast, poor air quality has raised concerns for visitors attending the World Cup final in New Jersey this weekend.

New York and New Jersey are likely to experience the worst conditions Friday and Saturday before the air begins to improve. By the time the match begins Sunday (The match start is set for 3 p.m. EDT), air quality is expected to be noticeably better.

Friday will bring the poorest air quality of the weekend, both here in North Carolina and across much of the Northeast.

A slight improvement is expected Saturday, but air quality will still be considered unhealthy in many areas.

More significant improvements are forecast for Sunday as rain and thunderstorms help clear the smoke from the atmosphere and a shift in the jet stream pushes the thickest smoke away.

Here in North Carolina, air quality is not as dangerous as it is around the Great Lakes. That's because most of the wildfire smoke over our area is high in the atmosphere, transported by the jet stream. Instead, our Code Orange Air Quality Alert is primarily being driven by elevated ozone levels near the ground.

Farther north, however, the wildfire smoke is concentrated much closer to the surface, where people breathe. That's why some cities are recommending that residents wear masks when outdoors.

Air quality on Friday reached the EPA's highest and most hazardous category in parts of Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio. The EPA defines this category as: "Health warning of emergency conditions: everyone is more likely to be affected."