An air quality alert has been issued for parts of the New York City metro area Thursday, July 16, as fine particulate pollution from Canadian wildfire smoke continues to affect the region, according to the National Weather Service in Upton.
The alert is in effect until midnight for Rockland, Orange, Putnam, Dutchess and Westchester counties, as well as Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island, Brooklyn and Queens.
What are forecasters saying about New York air quality?
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation issued the Air Quality Health Advisory after forecasting Air Quality Index (AQI) levels above 100 because of elevated fine particulate matter in the air.
An AQI above 100 is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, including children, older adults, and people with asthma, heart disease or other respiratory conditions…