DEP Issues Code Orange Air Quality Action Day For Tuesday, Aug. 6 In Southeast PA

The Department of Environmental Protection and its regional air quality partnerships have forecast a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for ozone for Tuesday, August 6 in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.

On Tuesday, calm winds through the morning hours will become a south/southwesterly breeze by the afternoon to provide favorable conditions for ozone concentrations to climb into the Code Orange range Tuesday afternoon. An approaching cold front will help to improve conditions as early as Wednesday.

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. 

These forecasts are provided in conjunction with DEP’s regional air quality partnerships, including the Air Quality Partnership for the Delaware Valley. 

Visit DEP’s Air Quality Partnerships webpage for more information on air quality across Pennsylvania.