NYC air quality: Forecast, outlook for Wednesday and beyond
NEW YORK CITY - Smoke from wildfires in Canada is once again expected to impact air quality across the region this week, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul warned.
In a tweet, Hochul said air quality is expected to reach unhealthy levels. The Department of Environmental Conservation has issued Air Quality Health Advisories for Western and Central New York, as well as Eastern Lake Ontario.
According to the DEC, the advisory will be in effect Wednesday from 12 a.m. through 11:59 p.m.
"Due to incoming winds tonight and ongoing Canadian wildfires, New York City could experience worse air quality tomorrow, Wednesday, June 28," Mayor Eric Adams said in a tweet.
Fires in northern Quebec and low pressure over the eastern Great Lakes are sending smoke through northern Michigan, and across southern Wisconsin and Chicago, said Bryan Jackson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
Jackson added a north wind pushed the smoke further south, moving into Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky later Tuesday and overnight.
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.
How does wildfire smoke affect your health?
Wildfire smoke is a complex mixture of gases, particles, and water vapor that contains multiple pollutants that can get into the lungs and bloodstream.
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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.