Air quality alert issued for much of New York: Check your county

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has issued an air quality health advisory for fine particulates effective through midnight tonight for much of the state, including western, central, and northern New York.

Areas affected in NY include:

Western & Central NY : Niagara, Erie, Monroe, Genesee, Ontario, Livingston, Cayuga, Onondaga, and more — including cities like Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Canandaigua.

Northern NY : St. Lawrence, Franklin, Clinton, Essex, Jefferson, Lewis, and others — including Plattsburgh, Watertown, and Lake Placid.

Southern Tier & Central NY : Broome, Tioga, Cortland, Otsego, Oneida, and more — including Binghamton, Elmira, and Utica.

What the advisory means

Outdoor air quality levels are expected to exceed an Air Qual