15 June 2023 , 21:44
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New York City could once again be engulfed in toxic smoke this week as Canada's wildfires continue to burn.
According to weather reports from meteorologists, New Yorkers and other East coasters should expect high levels of air pollution once again this week.
Last Wednesday, New York hit a record high on the Air Quality Index (AQI) rating as heavy winds pushed wildfire smoke south along the Eastern seaboard.
Cities in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and others were blanketed in a dystopian orange smog last week, with many local governments issuing health warnings.
Schools were shuttered for a day and after-school programs canceled, while children, the elderly, and those with respiratory health issues were told to stay home.
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Heavy smoke fills the air shrouding Hudson Yards and the Penn District on June 7 (Getty Images)Buildings and individuals had to seal off their windows and turn off their HVAC systems to ensure the smokey air didn't fill their homes.
Everyone was encouraged to wear masks, calling back a Covid-era measure that's undoubtedly going to prove handy for numerous situations as weather patterns continue to shift.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency's index, the city reached “very unhealthy” levels.
Dozens of fires are still burning in the west of the country: 62 in Alberta, 76 in westernmost British Columbia and 24 in Saskatchewan (BC Wildfire Service/AFP via Gett)At its peak in the afternoon, the AQI for the city reached 405 out of 500 — far worse than New Delhi’s 190, and the normal index of 100 for New York.
But this time, it is hoped the skies won't be nearly as apocalyptic.
“The big takeaway is that it will be nowhere near as bad,” Fox Forecast Center Meteorologist Brian Mastro said.
People cross 34th Street in Herald Square as heavy smoke fills the air on June 7 (Getty Images)“Air quality will still worsen a little bit. But last week, we reached low into the four hundreds got into the hazardous levels of air quality was the worst air quality in New York City’s history. We won’t be getting that again.
“We’re not going to see the apocalyptic, orange sky.”
Similar health-safety measures may have to be used again this week, even if they sky doesn't turn red - individuals are encourages to monitor the API levels in their respective cities.
A person wears a face mask as smoke from wildfires in Canada cause hazy conditions in New York City (AFP via Getty Images)“We could still see some haze returning tomorrow. And we could still see air quality worse a little bit, but not to the hazardous levels — just potentially to the unhealthy levels,” Mr Mastro said.
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Another meteorologist, Mike Thomas, tweeted, "Smoky skies returning once again. Still not expected to be as bad as last week, but could get close to code orange later on Thursday into Friday. Storms on Friday could be a little extra "charged" as well, as the extra particles in the atmosphere often lead to more lightning!"
A map posted by Mr Thomas on Instagram shows that the smoke will likely enter through the Midwest on Thursday morning before heading toward the South and East Coast later Thursday through Friday.
As the smoke leaves the Dakotas and Minnesota on Thursday, Fox forecasters say it may swing back and enter the Great Lakes and Northeast regions by Friday.