Tuesday, July 3 Declared Code Orange Air Quality Action Day 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 in Southeast Pennsylvania for Tuesday, July 3.  
The area includes-- Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.

On Tuesday the heatwave will continue, with another day of temperatures in the mid-90s °F. Persistent mostly sunny skies, light surface winds, and localized transport of pollutants will keep ozone at Code Orange (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or USG range) levels. The only possible inhibiting factor is the chance for isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon.

The string of Air Quality Action Days will finally end on July 4 - Independence Day. A shift to light onshore (easterly/southeasterly) flow will begin to bring a cleaner air mass into the forecast area.

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.

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