Let’s just all agree that this week will not be anyone’s hair day… A three-day heat advisory is underway, adding to the already poor air quality, and New Yorkers could feel it the moment they stepped out their door Monday morning. Not to mention NYC just came off a weekend of blazing heat.
The three-day heat advisory is in effect from Monday, July 28th through 8pm on Wednesday, July 30th. NYC is expected to see temperatures in the high 90s all three days, with a possible feel up to 105°F. Tuesday, July 29th will be the hottest day of the week, with a high temperature of 97°F, according to The Weather Channel. Even Tuesday’s low temperature of 78°F will offer little reprieve.
On Thursday, July 31st, temperatures will drop significantly, reaching a high of 79°F and a low of 67°F, accompanied by scattered thunderstorms. Although showers may continue through Friday morning, the weekend is looking dry and sunny, with temperatures remaining in the high 70s and low 80s between Saturday and Sunday.
Remember that NYC cooling centers will be open from Monday through Wednesday to aid older adults, people with health risks, and those without A/C during this week’s extreme heat.
In addition to the intense heat, NYC was under an Air Quality Health Advisory through midnight on Sunday, July 27th from the Canadian wildfires. NYC experienced unfavorable air quality, with an AQI of 60 on Monday, July 28th, according to AirNow.
AQI numbers are used to represent how clean or polluted the air is. There’s generally six categories in the AQI scale: Good (0-50), Moderate (51-100), Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150), Unhealthy (151-200), Very Unhealthy (201-300), and Hazardous (301-500). At an AQI of 60, New Yorkers who are unusually sensitive to air pollution may be at risk for possible health complications.
An Air Quality Health Advisory was issued once more on Tuesday, July 29th through Wednesday, July 30th at 11pm, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Per the department, the pollutant of concern is the ozone. It states, “Summer heat can lead to the formation of ground-level ozone, a major component of photochemical smog. Automobile exhaust and out-of-state emission sources are the primary sources of ground-level ozone and the most serious air pollution problems in the northeast.”
Keep in mind forecasts and air quality will likely change throughout the week. Stay up to date on the latest information on the New York City Emergency Management website.