On Monday, smoke from Canadian wildfires once more produced a gray sky, bringing low air quality and hazy skies back to the five boroughs.
On Monday afternoon, the National Weather Service issued an air quality alert for nearly all of New England and all of New York state. New York City was under a warning that lasted till midnight.
The NYC emergency room posted on social media that the air quality is unhealthy for vulnerable populations, such as children, elderly individuals, and those with heart or lung diseases. You might detect poor sight and a slight smoke odor.
In recent years, New Yorkers have come to know this story all too well. Common wind patterns in Canada have pushed smoke from uncontrolled wildfires, the most of which are in the province of Manitoba, to the south and east.
In June 2023, the city was enveloped in an orange haze due to the thickest smoke, the worst air quality in recent memory. But the poor quality of the city’s air has also resurfaced in the last two summers, including many times earlier this year.
If you must go outside and are in a vulnerable group, NYC Emergency Management advised limiting outdoor activities, closing windows, using air purifiers if possible, and thinking about using a high-quality mask.
On Monday, the terrible quality of the air was not limited to New York. Air quality alerts also applied to most of Vermont and all of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, and Maine.
