Smoke from Canadian wildfires is set to impact New York on Monday, prompting an air quality advisory for the state. On Sunday, unhealthy air conditions stretched across the Upper Midwest and Northeast, particularly in eastern Wisconsin and Michigan, as well as major cities like Minneapolis, Chicago, Detroit, Syracuse, and Buffalo. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation expects the Air Quality Index to reach Level Orange (101–150), signaling unhealthy conditions for sensitive groups such as the elderly, children, pregnant individuals, outdoor workers, and those with respiratory or cardiovascular concerns.
Meanwhile, severe weather is disrupting other regions. In the Southeast, flood alerts have been issued for 13 million people, with cities like Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Tallahassee bracing for storms that may bring up to 8 inches of rain. Over in the High Plains, areas from Colorado to West Texas are facing threats of large hail and damaging winds, adding to the widespread weather challenges across the country.
Extreme heat is also bearing down on the Southwest, Texas, and Miami, where 14 million people are under heat advisories. Heat indexes are projected to soar between 105 and 115 degrees, particularly in Arizona and California. These conditions are expected to persist through Friday, underscoring a period of relentless atmospheric stress driven by both wildfire activity and intense summer weather patterns