NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- After several weeks of relatively cool, wet weather in the Tri-State, it's feeling a lot like summer in the city this week, with hazy skies and humid highs rising near 90 degrees on Thursday.
An Air Quality Alert is in effect until 11 p.m. Thursday for all of New York City, Long Island, North Jersey, the Hudson Valley and Connecticut.
When pollution levels are elevated, the New York Department of Health recommends individuals consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity, especially the very young and those with preexisting respiratory problems such as asthma or heart disease.
This week's hazy skies are due in part to smoke drifting down from hundreds of Canadian wildfires. The smoke drifted into the Midwest earlier this week and has been moving eastward.
Thursday's high is forecasted to be around 89 degrees in Central Park, according to AccuWeather. Wednesday’s high of 83 degrees was among the warmest of the year so far and followed a relatively cool May, when the high only cracked 80 twice—on May 2 and May 3.
Thursday is otherwise partly sunny and humid, with thunderstorms possible north and west of the city.
Highs are set to reach 86 on Friday before temps cool down this weekend. Stormy weather will return in the afternoon, but again will most likely be north and west of the five boroughs.
This weekend will be mostly cloudy with highs in the mid-to-upper 70s on both Saturday and Sunday. Showers are possible Saturday.