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If the sky looks extra hazy over New York today, you’re not imagining it—and you might want to think twice before that afternoon jog.
The National Weather Service has issued an Air Quality Alert for New York City and surrounding counties in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut from 11 am to 11 pm today, June 4. Blame a perfect storm of sunny skies, light winds and rising ozone levels, plus smoke drifting in from ongoing Canadian wildfires, all combining to make the air less than breathable.
Air Quality Health Advisory for Wednesday, June 4
— NYC Emergency Management (@nycemergencymgt) June 4, 2025
Today’s AQI is forecast to reach 105 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups) due to elevated levels of ground-level ozone.
Air quality affects everyone but those who are part of sensitive groups—such as children, older adults, and… pic.twitter.com/fGgMlhLsGg
Ground-level ozone, a pollutant formed when sunlight interacts with emissions from cars, industrial facilities and chemical solvents, is the culprit today. It’s a summertime menace that can irritate lungs, aggravate asthma and make a simple stroll feel like breathing through a wet sponge.
Today’s alert affects counties along the I-95 corridor, including the Hudson Valley and the five boroughs, along with Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Middlesex in New Jersey, and parts of coastal and central Connecticut. If you’re in a sensitive group (think: young kids, seniors, anyone with heart or lung conditions), experts recommend avoiding strenuous outdoor activity during peak hours. Even healthy folks should consider swapping their power walk for a power nap.
Smoke from wildfires in Manitoba and Saskatchewan is making matters worse, casting a visible haze across the city skyline and contributing to higher levels of fine particulate matter, another lung-busting pollutant. If your throat feels scratchy or your eyes are watery, it’s not just allergy season.
Health officials suggest heading indoors if symptoms crop up and monitoring the Air Quality Index (AQI), which ranks air safety from green (good) to maroon (hazardous). Today’s levels are expected to hit the orange range—“unhealthy for sensitive groups”—with some pockets potentially climbing higher.
To do your part (and protect your lungs), consider leaving the car parked, turning off unused electronics, and running appliances like dishwashers or dryers after 7 pm. If you must turn on the A/C, set it at 78 degrees F to keep your power bill and ozone levels in check.
Bottom line: Skip the picnic, close the windows and let your air purifier do the heavy lifting today.