When will NYC’s bad air quality end? Things are starting to look up
June 8, 2023, 1:08 p.m.
Forecasting isn’t easy, but here’s what the experts say.
Wondering when the city’s latest visitor will finally pack its bags and clear out?
Things are starting to look up, as of Friday morning.
Air quality began to improve on Thursday evening and into Friday. And the low pressure system that has been stuck off the coast of Maine, funneling Canada's wildfire smoke southward, has started to move west— directing that smoky air to Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia.
As of 6 a.m. Friday, air quality was moderate throughout the five boroughs and North Jersey.
The latest air quality data for NYC and NJ
Another potential boost to air quality: scattered rain showers were expected Friday, according to meteorologist Lauren Casey, with environmental news organization Climate Central.
"Raindrops and the smoke particles essentially merge so the rain pulls the smoke out of the air,” said Casey.
The bad news? The weekend’s forecast is impossible to predict with 100% accuracy, due to the finicky nature of smoke and wind currents.
What’s more, if the fires up north continue, there’s no guarantee that the nasty air won’t return for a visit, a few weeks or months from now.
“If the fire’s still ongoing in Canada and the weather pattern sets up correctly, it is possible that we could see something like this happening somewhere down the road,” Stark explained.
The current weather patterns are somewhat typical for late spring, Stark said — normally resulting in a few days of cooler northern air before summer heat kicks into gear.
What is unusual is the dangerous level of air quality – a result of the weather pattern and the smoke – and the orange haze that made it hard to spot NYC’s iconic landmarks from even close range.
“At its worst, [Wednesday], visibilities with that smoke were down to three-quarters of a mile in Central Park and New York City, that’s crazy,” said Casey, with Climate Central. “Now visibilities are up to three miles, and we should see that continue to increase.”
But the fact that the air now looks clearer in New York City doesn’t necessarily indicate that it’s safe to resume exercise and other outdoor plans.
“I would really keep an eye on that air quality index, especially locally, there can be deviations,” Casey explained. “So you want to wait until that is back to a code green to go back outdoors and engage in activities.”
This story has been updated with the latest developments, as of Friday morning.
Data, maps and charts from NYC’s air quality crisis: June 2023 Think NYC air quality is bad on the street? Try the subway station. NYU: Air quality much worse in NYC subway stations near river tunnels