An air quality alert will remain in place for a third day as wildfire smoke chokes the tri-state area.
To quote Coldplay, "It was all yellow." Or perhaps more orange/red-ish.
In case you haven't looked or gone outside in a couple days, the New York City area has been smothered in a cloud of smoke due to wildfires in the eastern Canadian provinces of Quebec and Nova Scotia. And it didn't get any better on Wednesday, with another burst of thick smoke hitting the area.
In fact, it's worse, as the city's Air Quality Index reached "hazardous" levels in the afternoon. By 6 p.m., it had reached 333, according to U.S. government online platform AirNow, an air quality data site used by the Environmental Protection Agency and more. At that level, the site states "everyone should stay indoors and reduce activity levels."
School officials in Yonkers and Freeport decided late Wednesday to close schools for Thursday due to the worsening air quality.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation extended its citywide air quality health advisory through midnight tonight, and those who have underlying health conditions are advised to avoid outdoor activity as much as possible. Long Island and the Hudson Valley are under the air quality advisory as well. A number of cities and municipalities around the area issued individual air quality alerts as well, urging residents to take precautions while cancelling some outdoor events.
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"Conditions have worsened since last night, and air quality has been deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups," the city said in an alert Wednesday morning.
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City officials have said they expect the advisory to remain in place for the next few days but added it's particularly difficult to forecast smoke conditions.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Tuesday's hazy skies “were hard to miss,” and recommended school districts cancel any outdoor activities. New York City Mayor Eric Adams encouraged residents to limit outdoor activities ”to the absolute necessities."
"Yesterday, New Yorkers saw and smelled something that has never impacted us on this scale before. Even as I was out walking the streets, clearly you knew something was happening that was beyond normal," Adams said during a press conference Wednesday. "We can see it. We can smell it, and we felt it. And it was alarming and concerning."
New York City Health Commissioner Aswin Vasan said there was a period on Tuesday that "gave us the worst air quality in New York City since the 1960s."
Hochul announced Wednesday that the state would be handing out 1 million N95 masks at MTA stations, the Port Authority, and other state sites starting the following morning.
It's hard to imagine conditions being worse than they were on Tuesday, with the smell of smoke and fire permeating throughout the city — which was illuminated in a somewhat apocalyptic glow. But that sepia-tinted look will continue for at least another day, and could be even worse.
Several outdoor activities and events were canceled throughout the tri-state, as people were encouraged to avoid staying outside for long, especially those who are older or have problems with their heart or lungs. The Yankees' game Wednesday night against the Chicago White Sox was rescheduled as part of a doubleheader starting at 4:05 p.m. on Thursday. All events at NYC parks were also canceled or postponed.
The matinee performance of "Prima Facie" was canceled 10 minutes into the production when star Jodie Comer "had difficulty breathing due to poor air quality in New York City." Her understudy was expected to take over. Evening performances of "Camelot" and "Hamilton" were also postponed, with producers citing air concerns.
Libraries across the city closed operations early on Wednesday, and the city announced alternate side parking rules would be suspended on Thursday.
Many have noticed having difficulty breathing as a result of the smoke and incredibly hazy conditions, which is why officials have encouraged limiting strenuous activity for some.
Anyone who looked up to the sky would've seen a sun that looked far more red or orange than normal due to all the smoke that has blanketed the NYC area. The ratings for air quality levels across the five boroughs reached into the 180s on Tuesday, according to AirNow. Mayor Adams said the Air Quality Index hit 218 by the end of the night, and was well beyond that on Wednesday.
Those levels are considered unhealthy for all people and significantly above exposure recommendations from the World Health Organization. Adams instructed residents to limit outdoor activity.
"This is not the day to train for a marathon or to do an outside event with your children. Stay inside. Close windows and doors and use air purifiers if you have them," the mayor said, adding that the schools chancellor has canceled all outside events, though schools remain open. He also advised people wear masks to protect them from the smoke.
The Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday halted some flights bound for New York's LaGuardia Airport due to the smoke. Visibility was also causing delays at Newark Liberty International Airport. Check here to see what flights have been delayed at NYC area airports.
Much like Tuesday, there will be high concentrations of smoke particles in the air for the entire region. And once again, it will be at its worst during the evening hours, between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.
The fine particles in the air are among the most harmful, according to the city's site. To give an idea of just how bad the air is out there, NYC on average sits at 35 micrograms of fine particles per cubic meter of air every day. That number skyrocketed to around 160 around 6 a.m. By the evening, that figure topped 350, which spells trouble not only for those with breathing issues, but also anyone who is otherwise healthy.
New York City ranked top of the list of the world's major cities with the poorest air quality on Tuesday, according to IQAir. By Wednesday afternoon, it had reached third-worst.
Air quality is expected to remain poor Thursday as winds continue pushing smoke from out-of-control wildfires into the United States. A low-pressure front off the coast of Maine is keeping winds sweeping down from eastern Canada right into NYC, and that front isn't expected to move in the next few days — meaning smoke will continue to fill the air of the tri-state.
Check the latest weather alerts for your neighborhood here.
The next chance for precipitation comes Thursday/Friday, though that is more of a spotty chance. The weekend weather looks ideal, with temperatures in the upper 70s and low 80s, and an expected wind shift will be what really helps ease the air quality and smoke issues in our area while at the same time warming us up into Sunday.
Early Monday continues to look like the better chance for meaningful rainfall. It also stays unsettled, with showers and storms, into early next week.
