If you stepped outside today and noticed the sun looked particularly red or orange, and you maybe had some trouble breathing, Canada is at least partially to blame.
The wildfires in the eastern provinces of Quebec and Nova Scotia are sending smoke pouring back into the New York City area again on Tuesday, causing smoky, hazy skies and some of the poorest air quality in the country this week. The state's Department of Environmental Conservation issued an air quality health advisory through midnight as a result of the smoke and incredibly hazy conditions.
Anyone who looked up to the sky during the morning commute 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 the U.S. government online platform AirNow. Those levels are considered unhealthy for all people and significantly above exposure recommendations from the World Health Organization.
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The air quality alert is in effect for the five boroughs as well as the entire tri-state area, and is expected to be at its worst Tuesday evening. There are high concentrations of smoke particles in the air for the entire region.
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 140-160 around 6 a.m., and after a brief reduction, shot back up to above 160 in the afternoon. But by 6 p.m., that figure climbed to climbed to 335, which spells trouble for those with breathing issues.
By the evening, New York City ranked top of the list of the world's major cities with the poorest air quality, according to IQAir.
Air quality is expected to remain poor Wednesday and Thursday as winds continue pushing smoke from out-of-control wildfires into the United States.
The city warned residents to limit time outdoors and emphasized that people with respiratory illnesses or heart disease are especially vulnerable to the dangerous air quality conditions.
Check the latest weather alerts for your neighborhood here.
In addition to the poor air quality, there is also an elevated fire risk for most of New Jersey. The recent dry conditions, low humidity and gusty winds have triggered another red flag warning for much of the Garden State, with the exception of the far northeast corner, which is still under an enhanced fire risk.
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, but with the smoke still potentially around, could put some kind of damper on the nice weather.
Early Monday continues to look like the better chance for meaningful rainfall. It also stays unsettled, with showers and storms, into early next week.
