NYC air quality: Forecast, outlook for Wednesday and beyond

Weather forecast

Boy, it's a hot one! But it is July, so it's not exactly unexpected, with temperatures over 90 across the region. Don't expect it to cool off soon though. FOX 5 NY's Nick Gregory has your weather forecast.

NEW YORK CITY - Smoke is impacting air quality Wednesday across New York City.

"We are off to a very mild and muggy start to the day with lots of smoke and haze left over from yesterday's fireworks," FOX 5 NY's Mike Woods said.

But Woods said the sunshine will make a comeback, and to look for a hot and humid day.

Image 1 of 7

▼

A view of the hazy city during bad air quality as smoke of Canadian wildfires brought in by wind. (Photo by Selcuk Acar/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Air quality alerts will be in effect for parts of Connecticut.

Earlier this month, smoke from the Canadian wildfires blanketed New York City with some of the most unhealthy air quality levels on the planet.

LaGuardia Airport Status

There are no ground stops or delays at the moment, according to the FAA.

Newark Airport Status

There are no ground stops or delays at the moment, according to the FAA.

JFK Airport Status

There are no ground stops or delays at the moment, according to the FAA.

Air quality concerns could disrupt summer plans

The hundreds of wildfires burning throughout Canada will keep burning, according to experts, throughout the summer until the first snowfall of winter, leading Accuweather forecasters to coin this the summer of smoke and haze for much of the Midwest and Northeast.

People suffering from asthma and respiratory disease are being encouraged to dust off those N-95 masks and keep them handy as smoky haze is expected to descend on the horizon, clearing out only temporarily with rain and wind pattern changes until settling back in the skies again and lowering the air quality to dangerous levels.

A view of the city as smoke from wildfires in Canada shrouds the sky in New York City. (Photo by Selcuk Acar/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Low air quality can lead to serious health effects. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warning people to watch out of symptoms of breathing in the smoke: headache, chest pain, coughing, sneezing, eye irritation, trouble breathing and fatigue.

How does wildfire smoke affect your health?

Wildfires cause 'unhealthy' NYC air quality

The smoke has traveled into the United States, resulting in a number of air quality alerts issued since May.

Wildfire smoke is a complex mixture of gases, particles, and water vapor that contains multiple pollutants that can get into the lungs and bloodstream.

RELATED: NYC air quality alert: How can wildfire smoke affect your health?
RELATED: Experts weigh in on Canada wildfire smoke's impact on NYC

There is no evidence of a safe level of exposure to some of the pollutants, meaning that smoke can impact your health even at very low levels.

Inhaling smoke from wildfires can cause headaches, sore and watery eyes, nose, throat, and sinus irritation, chest pains, heart palpitations and more.

Who should be careful?

Exposure to elevated fine particle pollution levels can affect the lungs and heart.

The air quality alerts caution "sensitive groups," a big category that includes children, older adults, and people with lung diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Kids, who often are encouraged to go out and play, "are more susceptible to smoke for a number of reasons," said Laura Kate Bender, the lung association's National Assistant Vice President, healthy air. "Their lungs are still developing, they breathe in more air per unit of body weight."

No one is immune.