Governor Kathy Hochul announced the distribution of over 100,000 N95-style masks to affected counties, with additional masks provided to commuters at Penn Station and Grand Central.
Local officials warned this could be the most significant smoke event for New York City since 2023, when wildfire smoke blanketed the area in a dense orange haze.
Meteorologists confirmed that smoke would continue to impair visibility and health standards through Thursday evening, keeping alerts active until midnight.
In Boston, forecasters warned of smoky skies and reduced air quality, drawing concern from state leadership.
"With a record El Niño forecast for this year, we are looking at more wildfire smoke days ahead," said Senator Ed Markey.
"The climate crisis is here and it does not stop at our borders. Stay safe, Massachusetts."
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The smoky conditions are projected to linger, with forecasters in Virginia and Ohio warning that additional waves of wildfire smoke will continue to drift south through Friday and into the weekend.
