Air Quality Alert Issued for Armstrong County

Today’s sunshine and 80 degree temperatures might also endanger young children, the elderly and those with respiratory problems.

The Department of Environmental Protection and its regional air quality partnerships have forecast a Code Orange air quality action day for ozone today - Wednesday, May 25 - for nearly two dozen Pennsylvania counties, including Armstrong.

Throughout the day, a ridge of high pressure, which has been persisting across the Midwestern US for the last couple of days, shifts east along the East Coast. This ridge will allow for clear skies, light winds and temperatures to extend into the 80’s.

As a result of the sunny and warm conditions, ozone is expected to rise into the Code ORANGE range.

These elevated ozone levels could extend into tomorrow as well as forecasters see another day filled with sunshine and warmth over the region.

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 Air Quality Partnerships for the Delaware Valley, Lehigh Valley-Berks, Susquehanna Valley, and the Southwest PA Air Quality Partnership.

For more information, visit www.dep.pa.gov.

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