More Wildfire Smoke Over NJ As Gov. Murphy Weighs In

NEW JERSEY — As wildfires burn large swaths of land on the West Coast, smoke from the massive fires continues to be visible in the New Jersey skies Wednesday morning. Residents throughout the region reported hazy skies Monday and Tuesday as a result of the smoke, and both the governor and first lady weighed in on the issue via Twitter.

"The smoke from the fires on the West Coast has arrived in New Jersey," Gov. Phil Murphy said. "Science matters. We have to make decisions based on data, facts and science."

"The impacts of climate change reverberate throughout our world," First Lady Tammy Murphy said. "Take a moment to look at the sky today, the haze you see here in New Jersey is from the wildfires in California."

The conditions will continue Wednesday, according to forecasters from the National Weather Service in Mt. Holly, N.J. Not only is the smoke causing a hazy sky and the sun to appear particularly orange, but it's also bringing temperatures down slightly, forecasters say.

The smoke "seems to be holding back our temperatures at least a couple degrees. We only reached the mid to upper 60s today," forecasters in Mt. Holly said. Read more here: Smoke From West Coast Wildfires Spotted In New Jersey Skies

The smoke is 25,000 feet in the atmosphere, and has been reported across the East Coast, including in Philadelphia, New York, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C.

Michael Souza, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Virginia, told the New York Times the phenomenon is a result of "a perfect combination" of conditions, including the jet stream pattern and a high-pressure system over the Great Lakes.

NOAA/NASA satellites captured photos of smoke's cross country travel.

Along with the smoke, small particles suspended in the air are also moved along the jet stream, bringing hazardous air quality across the country, NASA explained. "Aerosols are a mixture of small particles and chemicals produced by the incomplete burning of carbon-containing materials such as trees, grasses, peat, brush, etc," NASA said.

More from NASA:

High aerosol concentrations not only can affect climate and reduce visibility, they also can impact breathing, reproduction, the cardiovascular system, and the central nervous system, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Since aerosols are able to remain suspended in the atmosphere and be carried in prevailing high-altitude wind streams, they can travel great distances away from their source as evidenced in these images and their effects can linger.

The fires along the West Coast have so far killed 35 people. More than 16,600 firefighters maintained footing against the 25 major wildfires and two extended attack wildfires burning across the smoky state Tuesday.

Due to unrelenting and critical fire weather, blazes burned actively Monday, challenging crews; however, firefighters were able to contain two large wildfires Monday while responding to 33 initial attack fires.

"With no significant precipitation in sight, California remains dry and ripe for wildfires," Cal Fire said Tuesday, noting scientific evidence for elevated climates this time of year.

Here are some photos taken across New Jersey that show the smokey sky:

With reporting by Max Bennett and Kara Seymour