Latest news with #LowerHudsonValley
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Climate
- Daily Mail
10 million Americans told to stay indoors TODAY as toxic chemicals in the air trigger health emergency
Officials in New York City have issued an air quality alert, advising more than 10 million residents to stay indoors if possible. The alert is due to ground-level ozone, which forms when air pollution combines with warm temperatures. Temperatures are expected to surpass 80°F on Wednesday. Ground-level ozone is a harmful pollutant that can irritate the lungs, causing coughing, throat irritation, and chest pain. Officials warned that people with respiratory issues, young children, and the elderly should limit outdoor activities. An Air Quality Health Advisory is in effect from 11 am to 11 pm ET for New York City, the Bronx, Kings, Queens, Rockland, and Westchester counties, as well as the Lower Hudson Valley, which includes Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Sullivan, and Ulster counties. 'When outdoor levels of ozone are elevated, going indoors will usually reduce exposure,' the alert reads. 'Individuals experiencing symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, or coughing should consider consulting their personal physician.' The alert comes as the Midwest is also facing air quality emergencies due to wildfire smoke crossing the border from Canada. Smoke forecast Canada and the US. Wildfire smoke wafts across the US as horrifying map reveals where hazed air quality may turn deadly The National Weather Service reported Air Quality Index (AQI) levels will exceed 100 today, a range classified as 'unhealthy for sensitive groups.' The AQI measures the amount of pollutants and particulates in the air on a scale of zero (good) to 500 (hazardous). The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) issued the warning this week, explaining that ground-level ozone forms when sunlight hits pollution from cars, trucks, and industrial facilities. This isn't the 'good ozone' high up in the atmosphere that protects us from the sun's rays, this is a harmful gas that hangs close to the ground, contributing to hazy skies and breathing problems. 'People think of air pollution as smoke or smog you can see,' the DEC said. 'But ozone is different, it's a clear gas that you can't see, but you can definitely feel it when you're outside on a hot, muggy day.' Ozone pollution is most dangerous in the afternoon and early evening when the sun is strongest. In the New York metro area, including Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and the Bronx, millions are at risk during these high ozone days, when ground-level ozone reaches unhealthy levels that can harm people's health and the environment. Officials are urging residents to take simple steps to cut back on pollution and save energy. These include using public transit, combining car trips, setting the air conditioner to 78 degrees, and limiting appliance use to after 7 pm The DEC also recommends turning off unused lights and avoiding outdoor burning. 'It doesn't take a science degree to help clear the air,' the agency said. 'Drive less, cool smart, and give your lungs and your neighbors a break.' New Yorkers can check daily air quality updates through the state's online resources and are encouraged to make small changes that add up to cleaner air and safer summers for everyone. Officials warned that alerts like this should be expected as the summer begins. The health alert in New York comes as Canadian wildfire smoke is blowing over into the US, triggering air quality emergencies in several states. As of Wednesday, parts of Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin are facing unhealthy air. More than 200 fires are burning in Canada, with over 100 considered out of control. While officials urge Americans to stay prepared, they note the current situation is less hazardous than in 2023, when Canadian wildfires turned skies across the Northeast a hazy orange. Huge swaths of the US , from the north east to the Great Lakes, were blanked in smog for several days as a result. New York City Mayor Eric Adams urged millions of residents to remain indoors as a sheet of smoke from the wildfires left hose in Manhattan unable to see the New Jersey skyline across the Hudson River. Similar air quality alerts were also issued in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Illinois, Virginia and the Carolinas.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
How accessible are New Rochelle's city buildings? NYS comptroller releases audit
New Rochelle was one of 20 municipalities included in a recent state audit of accessibility in public, government-owned facilities, and the only one in the Lower Hudson Valley. State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and the New York State Division of Local Government and School Accountability identified 171 accessibility components in New Rochelle city buildings that needed improvements. They released their report May 6. The state recommended updating items like interior signs with raised lettering and Braille, wheelchair accessible lavatories in restrooms, elevator doors that reopen automatically when obstructed by an object or person, and more. Physical accessibility has been an important aspect of public facilities since the federal Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990. Title II of the ADA banned discrimination based on disability by state and local governments, including in their buildings. In 2010, when the ADA Standard for Accessible Design was released, it established a set of requirements for newly designed local government facilities and accommodations. Structures built on or after March 15, 2012 had to comply with the regulations, further underscoring the importance of having accessible public facilities that accommodate people with disabilities or limited mobility. The state report used the Standard for Accessible Design to 'help identify where New Rochelle city officials could consider taking additional steps to increase physical accessibility to programs and services.' Overall, the state recommended 171 accessibility improvements out of a total 895 physical accessibility components that were examined across these four city-owned locations in New Rochelle: The Hugh A. Doyle Senior Center located at 94 Davis Ave. Fire Department Headquarters located at 90 Beaufort Place City Court and Police located at 475 North Ave. City Hall, located at 515 North Ave. New Rochelle has reviewed the 171 improvements recommended by the state and said the city plans to start making updates right away. Things like adding Braille to signage and replacing door knobs could be updated 'immediately,' City Manager Wilfredo Melendez said in a letter responding to the report. 'The city of New Rochelle is committed to improving accessibility at all city-owned facilities,' Melendez said in the letter. 'We will continue to advance strategies for identifying and addressing potential accessibility barriers and make necessary changes to comply with the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design.' The city said it plans to use the state's findings to continue making accessibility improvements in the coming years. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: New Rochelle NY's city buildings need accessibility upgrades: state
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Will we be able to see May 12's full 'Flower Moon' over Lower Hudson Valley? See forecast
Will we be able to see May 12's full moon over the Lower Hudson Valley? Moonrise for the Westchester area will happen by roughly 8:30 p.m. Monday, May 12 and will set at 5:14 a.m. Tuesday, the Old Farmer's Almanac says. Will the weather hold out? The forecast from the National Weather Service predicts mostly cloudy skies Monday night after a warm and sunny day. There's a 20% chance of showers after 2 a.m. early Tuesday. Lunar calendar 2025: Dates for full moons, supermoons, and a total lunar eclipse The full Flower Moon will make its appearance on Monday, May 12, 2025. The moon's phases in May are: 🌑 New Moon: May 27 🌓 First Quarter: May 4 🌕 Full Moon: May 12 🌗 Last Quarter: May 20 Why it's called the Flower Moon: "April showers bring May flowers," as the saying goes. The full moon in May is a reflection of flowers blooming across large swaths of North America, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. Would a moon by any other name smell as sweet as this week's full Flower Moon? Other names for Monday's full moon are the Budding Moon, Frog Moon, and the Moon of Shedding Ponies. Contributing: lohud staff. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Flower Moon: When is May full moon? Key dates, Hudson Valley forecast
