The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and its regional air quality partnerships have forecast a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for ozone on June 9, 2020, for southeastern and southcentral Pennsylvania (encompassing the counties of Bucks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Lancaster, Lebanon, Montgomery, Philadelphia, and York).
Strong sunshine, temperatures close to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and light south to southwest winds will act to bring ozone concentrations to code Orange levels Tuesday afternoon. Concentrations of ozone are expected to be lower on Wednesday with only partly sunny skies and the chance for shower and thunderstorm development.
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 restrict certain pollution-producing activities by refueling vehicles after dusk, setting air conditioners to higher temperatures, carpooling or using public transportation with proper social distancing practices and combining errands to reduce trips.
SOURCE: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
