The Department of Environmental Protection and the Air Quality Partnership have forecast Wednesday, July 19 will be a Code Orange Air Quality Action for ozone in the Southeast and Southwest Pennsylvania--
-- Southeast: Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties;
-- Southwest: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties; and
-- Southwest Liberty-Clairton Region: municipalities of Clairton, Glassport, Liberty, Lincoln and Port Vue, all in southeastern Allegheny County.
These forecasts are provided in conjunction with Air Quality Partnerships for the Delaware Valley and the Southwest Pennsylvania Air Quality Partnerships.
On Wednesday, a ridge of high pressure will extend eastward across the Mid-Atlantic region. This ridge will promote mostly clear skies, hot temperatures with peak readings in the 90s and light westerly flow. The combination of these features will contribute to elevated ozone levels across these areas of western and eastern Pennsylvania, constituting the issuance of a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for ozone.
On air quality action days, young children, the elderly and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s standardized air quality index uses colors to report daily air quality. Green signifies good; yellow means moderate; orange represents unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive people; and red warns of unhealthy pollution levels for all.
To help keep the air healthy, residents and business are encouraged to voluntarily restrict certain pollution-producing activities by:
-- Refueling cars and trucks after dusk
-- Setting air conditioner thermostats to a higher temperature
-- Carpooling or using public transportation; and
-- Combining errands to reduce trips.
For more information, visit DEP’s Air Quality Partnership webpage.
No comments :
Post a Comment