DEP issues air quality warning for Tuesday

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has issued an air quality warning for Tuesday in Montgomery, Chester and Delaware counties.

The warning, called a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day, also applies to Bucks and Philadelphia counties.

Calm winds through the morning hours Tuesday are forecast to 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 take the following actions, which help to reduce pollution:

• 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 the Air Quality Partnership for the Delaware Valley.