Kathy Hochul Announces Air Alert for Parts of New York State

It's almost July and the weather over the past week has been humid and muggy. That means even though temperatures are lower than normal, the air still feels unpleasant with that humidity.

It's been three weeks since smoke from Canadian wildfires infiltrated New York state. The air was so bad on June 6th and 7th that it actually turned the skies orange and brown in cities like New York City and Syracuse. The Finger Lakes looked like something out of a movie.

Thankfully, the wind direction changed and the air quality was much improved by June 10th. However, the wildfires in Canada are not done yet and residents in Western and Central New York should be aware of the Wednesday and Thursday ahead.

Get our free mobile app

New York Governor Kathy Hochul tweeted an announcement on Tuesday, that states the NYSDEC has issued Air Quality Health Advisories for Western and Central New York, along with Eastern Lake Ontario.

Those who have respiratory issued should limit or avoid outdoor activities. It's also best to not spend a lot of time outdoors if you have severe allergies or other sinus related issues.

Hochul also tweeted that masks will be available throughout the state and that New Yorkers should stay up to date with the latest on the air quality.

The Governor also said that New York City is leading the charge and becoming the first city to do a "congested pricing program." That to help fight for cleaner air and better traffic.

Hopefully, the wildfire smoke will clear up in Western and Central New York by the weekend.