Smoke from western wildfires reaches into the Atlantic Ocean, impacting East Coast air quality

Smoke from multiple wildfires burning across California and Oregon has reached as far as the Atlantic Ocean, a National Weather Service meteorologist confirmed Tuesday.

More than a dozen wildfires are burning across the West, some spanning more than 100,000 acres.

The smoke generated from these blazes has a long tail, stretching across the country and as far as the opposite ocean.

The impacts of the smoke vary across the U.S. In the Midwest, for example, the weather service said to expect "more colorful sunsets [the] next few days."

In Vermont and New York, the impact is more stark. Air quality is currently poor because of the wildfires, and advisories are in effect until midnight Tuesday, the weather service said in a news release.

The pollutant of concern in New York is fine particulate matter, which consists of "tiny solid particles or liquid droplets in the air that are 2.5 microns or less in diameter," the weather service said.

Exposure to fine particulate matter can result in short-term health effects, including irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, as well as coughing, sneezing, runny noses and shortness of breath. Exposure to elevated levels of fine particulate matter can also worsen pre-existing conditions, including asthma and heart disease.