New York State Asking You To Mask Up, Again

The summer of 2023 will be here in just a few days and although we have put the COVID pandemic behind us, millions in New York State are looking for their N95 masks again.

In New York City, the air quality has gotten so bad that officials are going to be handing out masks. The issue is the smoke from wildfires way up in Canada has drifted south in to New York State and beyond.

Thursday may be the worst day yet as cloud cover will also move in to the region and the air quality will reach dangerous levels.

Governor Kathy Hochul says 400-thousand masks will be distributed at state parks, MTA stations, and other transit hubs. The state is making another 600-thousand masks available for local governments to pick up.

The smoke smell was super strong here in the Western New York area. For those who live in other states, it may be hard to fathom that we even saw ash particles floating through the area from fires hours and hours away! 97 million people are affected by the smoke and the worst is expected through Thursday afternoon with conditions improving. Philadelphia may see the worst air quality with numbers well in the 400 range! Stay safe New York!