Why has NYC's air quality stayed so bad? Unusual weather patterns are partially to blame.

Pandemic-weary New Yorkers may be feeling déjà vu with warnings to wear masks and stay indoors as smoke-filled air continues to cover New York. But unlike COVID-19, this bout of unprecedented weather should hopefully be short-lived.

Meteorologist Lauren Casey of Climate Central, a nonprofit news organization that monitors climate change and its impact on communities, said the bad air could continue through Thursday and maybe into Friday before a cold front drops in and sweeps the smoke away.

In the meantime, however, the smog has caught even seasoned weather experts off guard.

“We've never seen anything like that. Walking outside of my house last night in Philadelphia, you could just see the smoke at the surface,” Casey said. “It looked like a foggy night because it was so thick, you could smell it in the air.”

The weather pattern creating this phenomenon is extremely unusual. A stalled nor’easter that's currently stopped over Maine is blocking the jet stream. The low pressure is pushing air from north to south, instead of the typical west to east.

“In this case, it's an atmospheric traffic jam and nothing is moving along very quickly, and that's why we're in this persistent pattern,” explained meteorologist Garett Argianas in an interview with WNYC’s Brian Lehrer.

This kind of north-to-south movement is especially rare to see during the summer, and that’s the reason for cooler-than-normal temperatures this week, Casey explained.

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How to safe stay in unhealthy air

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Smoke from the Quebec and Ontario fires is blanketing the East Coast, bringing fine particulate matter that can lodge itself deep in the lungs. Public health experts say some basic precautionary measures can limit your exposure.

1. Wear a mask: Public health experts say wearing any well-fitting mask is beneficial, but N95s and KN95s will offer the most protection against fine particulate matter entering the lungs.
2. Stay indoors: The best way to avoid smoke exposure is to stay indoors and keep the windows closed. In this case, air conditioning and air purifiers are our friends.
3. Avoid strenuous exercise: If you are outdoors, avoid heavy exercise as this will force you to breathe in extra amounts of the toxins more deeply. Go easy on the jogging, tennis, and even pickleball.

Unfortunately, the bad air is slated to get worse before it gets better.

The Air Quality Index, which measures air pollution, could breach 200 this afternoon as more smoke is forecast to move into the New York area. Anything over 201 is considered to be “very unhealthy” by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s standards.

“The air right now is unhealthy for everyone to go outside,” Casey said – not just the elderly or people with pre-existing conditions.

New York City public schools have canceled outdoor activities like recess, while a number of outdoor cultural events have also been canceled or postponed.

While this pattern is slated to taper off soon, meteorologists warn that these kinds of cycles will become more common as climate change leads to drier, hotter weather– fueling more wildfires as a result.

“Climate change is contributing to the lengthening and the intensifying of the wildfire season, so our wildfires are becoming more frequent, more widespread and more intense,” Casey said.

Some of those fires could be even closer to home than ever before.

“A lot of times people think about wildfires and they think out west, which is true. But even on the East Coast, we're seeing this increase in annual days that are conducive to fire weather,” Casey said.

A bout of bad air last week was partially fueled by wildfires in New Jersey.

Forest Fire Service Chief Greg McLaughlin said Saturday that in a typical year, New Jersey will experience three or four major fires. So far this year there have been about 10.

“We’re seeing the fire season window of mid-March to mid-May start in February or early March and here we are, into June,” he said.