NYC air quality: Forecast, outlook for Friday and beyond

Air quality remains 'unhealthy' across Tri-State

Wildfire smoke means air quality will remain a problem throughout the evening, but will begin to slowly improve over the weekend.

NEW YORK CITY - Smoke from wildfires in Canada is once again impacting air quality Friday across the region, but should improve over the holiday weekend.

In a tweet, Hochul said an air quality health advisory will remain in effect statewide through Saturday for New York City, Long Island and the Hudson Valley.

"Our team is closely monitoring conditions and will continue to update New Yorkers on how to stay safe this holiday weekend," Hochul said.

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A view of the hazy city during bad air quality as smoke of Canadian wildfires brought in by wind. (Photo by Selcuk Acar/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Air quality alerts remain for most of the tri-state area.

Earlier this month, smoke from the Canadian wildfires blanketed New York City with some of the most unhealthy air quality levels on the planet.

LaGuardia Airport Status

There are no ground stops or delays at the moment, according to the FAA.

Newark Airport Status

There are no ground stops or delays at the moment, according to the FAA.

JFK Airport Status

There are no ground stops or delays at the moment, according to the FAA.

How does wildfire smoke affect your health?

Wildfires cause 'unhealthy' NYC air quality

The smoke has traveled into the United States, resulting in a number of air quality alerts issued since May.

Wildfire smoke is a complex mixture of gases, particles, and water vapor that contains multiple pollutants that can get into the lungs and bloodstream.

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There is no evidence of a safe level of exposure to some of the pollutants, meaning that smoke can impact your health even at very low levels.

Inhaling smoke from wildfires can cause headaches, sore and watery eyes, nose, throat, and sinus irritation, chest pains, heart palpitations and more.

Who should be careful?

Exposure to elevated fine particle pollution levels can affect the lungs and heart.

The air quality alerts caution "sensitive groups," a big category that includes children, older adults, and people with lung diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Kids, who often are encouraged to go out and play, "are more susceptible to smoke for a number of reasons," said Laura Kate Bender, the lung association's National Assistant Vice President, healthy air. "Their lungs are still developing, they breathe in more air per unit of body weight."

No one is immune.