Will smoke, poor air quality impact holiday weekend in New York? What to know
The wildfire smoke causing New York’s latest bout with poor air quality will slowly start to dissipate into the holiday weekend, officials said, but New Yorkers may still want to exercise caution around outdoor activities.
Western New York, Central New York, the Hudson Valley and other areas of the state have been under air quality advisories for several days, with Air Quality Index measurements of greater than 100 in much of the state. These areas remained under an air quality alert until midnight Friday for unhealthy levels of pollution.
On Friday afternoon, state officials issued another advisory for much of the state. The advisory remained for the Adirondacks, upper and lower Hudson Valley, the New York City metro and Long Island regions through Saturday, with forecasts of smoke recirculating Sunday.
"As we prepare to celebrate this holiday weekend, New Yorkers should continue to check the latest air quality in their region before heading outside," Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement.
The state issued its alerts for fine particulate matter, or PM 2.5, derived from Canadian wildfires. On Friday, the state also issued an advisory for New York City for ground-level ozone, a harmful pollutant derived from chemical reactions between sunlight and car exhaust and industrial emissions that produces hazy skies. The lower Hudson Valley is expected to see higher ozone levels on Saturday.
An air quality index marker of 150 or greater signifies “unhealthy” air quality, while anything between 101 and 150 is “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”
As of noon Friday, air quality measurements hovered around 165 in Rochester, Syracuse and New York City, and 115 in Westchester County.
The National Weather Service in Buffalo said Friday that it expected smoke to start to dissipate over the weekend. The same agency in the New York City area said gradual improvement in smoke coverage is expected Saturday into Sunday, with rain and a possible thunderstorm helping clear the air Sunday.
The smoke plume is set to push from the southwest to the northeast Friday night into Saturday, state officials said, which is expected to create temporary periods of air quality considered "unhealthy for sensitive groups" across New York.
Current forecasts for Sunday indicate smoke will recirculate in New York State due to smoke lingering in the Midwest and mid-Atlantic, officials said. An approaching cold front is likely to pull older smoke northward, leading to slightly elevated levels of PM 2.5.
"With unhealthy air over the eastern part of the state, and a summer holiday weekend upon us when many people spend time outdoors, it is important that everyone be aware of their local air quality and their personal risk," Dr. James McDonald, New York's health commissioner, said in a statement.
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Should New Yorkers postpone or cancel outdoor weekend activities?
Under these conditions, officials recommend the following:
If AQI is between 101 and 150, New Yorkers in vulnerable groups, like people with cardiovascular or lung disease, children, or pregnant people, should avoid exertion outdoors and watch for symptoms when exposed to the outdoors.
If AQI is greater than 150, all New Yorkers should avoid strenuous outdoor activities, and those in vulnerable groups should avoid exposure to the outdoors. People who work outside should consider working inside.
For those spending time outdoors when air quality is "unhealthy," a well-fitting face mask, like an N95, is recommended.
On Thursday, Hocul’s office noted that localized areas could experience misleading increases in AQI due to “particulates and smoke” created by fireworks displays over the weekend and into the July 4 holiday.
This article originally appeared on New York State Team: Will NY air quality impact July 4 holiday weekend? What to know
