NYC Under Air Quality Alert As Unhealthy Wildfire Smoke Returns

NEW YORK CITY — Wildfire smoke just can't quit New York City.

Haze from wildfires is expected to return to the city's skies Monday, replacing the weekend's rain clouds, forecasters said.

The city is under an air quality alert Monday that could carry into Tuesday, announced Gov. Kathy Hochul.

"New Yorkers should once again prepare for smoke from the wildfires in Western Canada to impact our state's air quality this week," Governor Hochul said.

The air quality index is forecast to hit 120, which is firmly within the "unhealthy for sensitive groups" category, according to airnow.gov.

New Yorkers likely will see the smoke in the form of widespread haze, the National Weather Service's forecast states.

The culprit will be an expansive plume of wildfire smoke from Canada carried over all of New York state by winds that shifted after a storm system hit Sunday, officials said.

Officials said they're monitoring the smoke plume to see if an air quality alert will extend into Tuesday.

Even if Tuesday isn't smoky, it's likely to be wet — the forecast calls for a 60 percent chance of precipitation, with showers and thunderstorms expected.

Free masks will be available at New York City public libraries, FDNY firehouses, and NYPD precincts, according to the Office of Emergency Management.

Here's the National Weather Service's forecast.

Monday
Widespread haze. Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 86. Light and variable wind becoming southwest 5 to 8 mph in the morning.

Monday Night
Widespread haze. Partly cloudy, with a low around 76. South wind 5 to 9 mph.

Tuesday
Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 2pm. Widespread haze before 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 87. South wind 5 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tuesday Night
Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 8pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southwest wind 5 to 7 mph becoming northwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Wednesday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 86. North wind around 6 mph becoming west in the afternoon.

Wednesday Night
A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.