Air Quality Health Advisory Issued For NYC Ahead Of Heat Wave

NEW YORK, NY — A wave of springtime heat could make it dangerous for certain people to be outside too long on Wednesday, officials warned. The state Department of Environmental Conservation has issued an air quality health advisory for Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. as temperatures are expected to reach into the 80s for the first time this year.

Unhealthy levels of ozone will make the city's air more polluted than usual, the DEC says. New Yorkers should limit strenuous physical activity outside, the agency says, especially young kids and anyone with lung diseases such as asthma.

The health advisory will also be in effect on Long Island and in the Lower Hudson Valley.

The nasty air will come as unseasonably warm temperatures hit the five boroughs Wednesday and Thursday, with expected highs near 83 and 85 degrees, respectively, according to the National Weather Service. That's more than 15 degrees warmer than the normal high for this time of year.

The temperatures won't quite break any records, though — the mercury hit 90 degrees on May 2 and 3, 2001.

(Lead image: Photo by Tom Wang/Shutterstock)