Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Smoke, dirty rain, flash floods, high winds: Weekend NYC forecast looks grim
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Jul 17, 2026
Modified Jul 17, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Jul 17, 2026
Modified Jul 17, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Some New Yorkers may have enjoyed a breath of comparatively unclogged air Friday morning. But it wasn't slated to last long: More Canadian wildfire smoke and strong thunderstorms are expected turn the first half of the weekend into another dose of apocalyptic nightmare fuel.
People outside Friday should still exercise caution, with the Air Quality Index in much of the city "unhealthy for sensitive groups," which includes the young and elderly. Anyone with health complications may want to wear masks, if they go outside at all. But the National Weather Service says further troubles are ahead. Friday afternoon and evening, more of the eerie smog that blanketed the city on Thursday will be back, contributing to unsafe conditions for anyone outdoors.
“We're going to be in and out of varying amounts of haze and some smoke,” said meteorologist Jay Engle.
As if that weren’t enough to put a damper on the weekend, heavy rain and fierce wind gusts on Saturday could lead to some localized flooding and other hazards.
“By Saturday afternoon, as nature tries to clear things out a bit, we're going to actually run into some pockets of unsettled weather with some rain,” Engle said. “We'll see some locally heavy downpours at times, from west to east Saturday afternoon through most of Saturday evening.”
Engle said up to an inch and a half of rain could fall — with higher amounts possible in some areas — between Saturday afternoon and evening. The storms could also be accompanied by damaging winds. Because the rain will help clear out the smoke, it could leave a film of soot on cars and roadways.
If we survive all that, the weather Sunday — when tens of thousands of people will flock to North Jersey for the World Cup final — will be a reward.
"We should see less smoke, better air quality to a degree on Sunday with more in the way of sunshine, and temperatures warm, but not nearly as humid,” Engle said.
It’s still too early to tell if the wildfire smoke will come back to haunt NYC again next week. Forecasters said it depends on several factors, including whether firefighters in Ontario manage to contain the blazes that are raging through the province.
As of Friday morning, New York City was ranked as having the fourth worst air quality in the world, behind Detroit, Chicago and Washington D.C. The city’s Air Quality Index hovered around 160, which is considered unhealthy.
This story has been updated with more information.
Tagged
air quality alert
nyc
weather advisory
Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
Published Sep 28, 2026 at 4:15 p.m. ET
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
The Garden State now requires that corn masa dough and flour made and sold in the state be fortified with folic acid.
By
Arya Sundaram
News
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
The Garden State now requires that corn masa dough and flour made and sold in the state be fortified with folic acid.
By
Arya Sundaram
A Brooklyn jail cell filled with smoke. The emergency button failed, a lawyer said.
By
Samantha Max
Crews launch tunnel machines to dig first new Hudson River rail tunnels since 1910
By
Michael Sol Warren
NYC nor’easter dries up after weather service reports minor flooding
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .