State officials urged New Yorkers to prepare for dangerous heat conditions that are expected to continue throughout the State through Thursday evening, as high heat and humidity are forecast to maintain heat index values — or “feels like” temperatures — of more than 95 degrees across most of the state.
There is an Air Quality Health Advisory in effect for ozone today for the New York City Metro and Lower Hudson Valley regions and the heat index could reach as high as 97 degrees on Thursday afternoon in the Finger Lakes, Central New York, Mohawk Valleyand Capital Region.
Officials encouraged New Yorkers to stay safe and take precautions as extreme heat is expected to last through Thursday evening.
Summer heat can lead to the formation of ground-level ozone. DEC and DOH issue Air Quality Health Advisories when DEC meteorologists predict levels of pollution, including ozone and fine particulate matter, are expected to exceed an Air Quality Index value of 100, when concentrations in outdoor air are expected to be unhealthy for sensitive groups. An advisory is in effect for ozone for the New York City Metro and Lower Hudson Valley regions today. More information about New York State Air Quality forecast is available here. To check current local air quality, go to www.airnow.gov.
The New York State Department of Health also reminds New Yorkers that heat is the number one weather-related killer in the United States.
