Tag Archive for: action days

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DEP declares Air Quality Action Day for Ozone on July 9

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A(n) Air Quality Action Day has been declared for Susquehanna Valley Area, PA, on Tuesday, Jul 9
 
Tomorrow’s Forecast
Tuesday, Jul 9:102 AQIUnhealthy for Sensitive GroupsOzone
Tuesday’s forecast: An Air Quality Action Day is in effect for Tuesday! Code ORANGE ozone levels are likely again Tuesday as temperatures soar into the middle to upper 90s with a fair amount of sun and limited convective activity. PM2.5 will remain at low to middle moderate through the day. Heat indices will reach close to 105 in the afternoon. 

This air quality forecast was prepared by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

* Current air quality monitoring data for the Susquehanna Valley Area and other locations across Pennsylvania can be found at the EPA’s AirNow Interactive Map.

* For information on the Air Quality Index (AQI) and the health effects of ozone and PM-2.5, visit the EPA’s AirNow AQI & Health webpage.

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DEP declares Air Quality Action Day for July 8

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A(n) Air Quality Action Day has been declared for Susquehanna Valley Area, PA, on Monday, Jul 8
 
Tomorrow’s Forecast
Monday, Jul 8:102 AQIUnhealthy for Sensitive GroupsOzone

An Air Quality Action Day is in effect for the day Monday with ozone levels reaching code ORANGE levels during the afternoon as temperatures rise into the lower to middle 90s. A heat advisory is also in effect for Monday afternoon as well with heat indices reaching just over 100.

* Current air quality monitoring data for the Susquehanna Valley Area and other locations across Pennsylvania can be found at the EPA’s AirNow Interactive Map.

* For information on the Air Quality Index (AQI) and the health effects of ozone and PM-2.5, visit the EPA’s AirNow AQI & Health webpage.

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The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has forecast a Code ORANGE Air Quality Action Day for ozone for Tuesday, June 4, 2024, for the Lehigh-Berks and Susquehanna Valley areas in Pennsylvania. This includes the counties of Lancaster, Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lebanon, and York.

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June 4, 2024, Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has forecast a Code ORANGE Air Quality Action Day for ozone for Tuesday, June 4, 2024, for the Lehigh-Berks and Susquehanna valley areas in Pennsylvania. This includes the counties of Lancaster, Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lebanon, and York.  Mostly sunny skies and temperatures […]

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DEP declares Code Orange alert for ozone on July 6

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DEP Declares Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for Ozone for July 6, 2023 in Lehigh Valley-Berks Area and Susquehanna Valley Area

A(n) Air Quality Action Day has been declared for Susquehanna Valley Area, PA, on Thursday, Jul 6
 
Tomorrow’s Forecast
Thursday, Jul 6:101 AQIUnhealthy for Sensitive GroupsOzone
 60 AQIModerateParticle Pollution (2.5 microns)
Current Conditions: At 2 p.m. EDT this Wednesday afternoon, skies were mostly sunny across the region with temperatures moving into the lower 90s. Ozone continues to develop near the ground, and most locations will have maximum concentrations reach the moderate range. With limited mixing, fine particulate (PM2.5) will also reach moderate levels. The heat is expected to continue through the day Thursday, with a slow cooling trend beginning Friday. A more unsettled weather regime is likely to occur over the weekend, with increasing chances for showers and thunderstorms. The increasing convective activity will keep ozone and PM2.5 levels down in the moderate range by Saturday. Now, here are the forecast details: *** Thursday’s forecast: An Air Quality Action Day is in effect for Thursday! Partly to mostly sunny and hot with ozone developing rapidly in the late morning and afternoon, with code ORANGE concentrations in parts of the area. A thunderstorm will also develop in parts of the area during the late afternoon. Fine particles will again average moderate, with the highest levels coming during the morning as an inversion is expected.

* This air quality forecast was prepared by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

* Current air quality monitoring data for the Susquehanna Valley Area and other locations across Pennsylvania can be found at the EPA’s AirNow Interactive Map.

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PA DEP declares Air Quality Action Day for Dec. 29 in Susquehanna Valley

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A(n) Air Quality Action Day has been declared for Susquehanna Valley Area, PA, on Thursday, Dec 29
 
Tomorrow’s Forecast
Thursday, Dec 29:112 AQIUnhealthy for Sensitive GroupsParticle Pollution (2.5 microns)
Extended Forecast
Friday, Dec 30:100 AQIModerateParticle Pollution (2.5 microns)


Current Conditions as of 1 PM on Wednesday: High pressure is providing mostly sunny skies with temperatures well into the 40s this afternoon. After a few days of frigid temperatures last weekend, we are looking to close out 2022 much warmer as we head into this weekend. *** Thursday’s Forecast: Thursday will be another mild day with temperatures climbing into the low 50s, which is several degrees above normal highs for this time of year. High pressure providing a light southwesterly breeze under mostly sunny skies will allow for the temperatures to warm nicely into the afternoon. Concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM-2.5) will climb as chilly overnight and early morning temperatures will lead to the formation of a strong temperature inversion with the much warmer air moving in over the area just above the surface. Hourly values of the PM-2.5 concentrations will be higher during the period that the inversion is in place, but the light afternoon winds as temperatures warm to break the inversion will only provide a limited amount of mixing. Therefore, concentrations will be in the high end of the moderate range on average for the day with some sites possibly averaging out in the Code Orange range. An Air Quality Action Day will be declared as a result. 
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DEP declares Ozone Air Quality Action Day for Saturday May 21

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A(n) Air Quality Action Day has been declared for Susquehanna Valley Area, PA, on Saturday, May 21   Tomorrow’s Forecast Saturday, May 21: 102 AQI Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Ozone   62 AQI Moderate Particle Pollution (2.5 microns)   Extended Forecast Sunday, May 22: 80 AQI Moderate Ozone   56 AQI Moderate Particle Pollution (2.5 […]

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DEP declares Orange Air Quality Action Day for Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022

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DEP Declares Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for Fine Particulate Matter for Thursday, January 13, 2022, in Multiple Areas of Pennsylvania

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has declared a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for fine particulate matter for Thursday, January 13, 2022, in the following areas of Pennsylvania:

• The Philadelphia Area, which includes the counties of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia;
• The Lehigh Valley-Berks Area, which includes the counties of Berks, Lehigh, and Northampton; and
• The Susquehanna Valley Area, which includes the counties of Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York.

A moderately strong temperature inversion Thursday morning with calm or very light wind will likely contribute to daily average concentrations of fine particulate matter in the Code Orange range.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Index (AQI) provides standardized color codes for forecasting and reporting daily air quality. Green signifies good air quality; Yellow means moderate air quality; Orange represents unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive groups of people; and Red warns of unhealthy pollution levels for all.

An Air Quality Action Day is declared when the AQI is forecasted to be Code Orange or higher. On an Air Quality Action Day, 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.

Residents and businesses within the Air Quality Action Day areas are strongly encouraged to voluntarily help reduce fine particulate matter air pollution by:

• Reducing or eliminating fireplace and wood stove use;
• Avoiding the open burning of leaves, trash, and other materials; and
• Avoiding the use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment.

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The Air Quality Index Explained: What It Means and How to Stay Safe

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By Adeel Hassan NY Times, Aug. 6, 2021

The Air Quality Index measures the density of five pollutants: ground-level ozone, particulates, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide. It was established by the Environmental Protection Agency as a way to communicate to Americans the cleanliness of the air they are breathing each day. Read more

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DEP extends air quality action day to July 21

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Harrisburg, PA.  An Air Quality Action Day for fine particulate matter will be in effect once again in the Susquehanna Valley for Wednesday, July 21. A cold front pushing to the south and east will improve conditions and help to move the wildfire smoke out of the area, but this feature will not arrive until the afternoon to early evening hours. A slight chance for showers and possibly a few thunderstorms will occur in advance of the arrival of this front, but these will not be widespread enough to help to clean out the air prior to the frontal passage.

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DEP declares air quality action day for July 20

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Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has issued a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for fine particulate matter for Tuesday, July 20, 2021, in the following areas of Pennsylvania:

• The southeastern counties of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia;
• The Lehigh Valley-Berks Area which includes the counties of Berks, Lehigh, and Northampton;
• The southcentral counties of Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York; and
• The southwestern counties of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington, and Westmoreland.

Smoke from wildfires in northern and western Canada, along with light winds, will likely contribute to daily average concentrations of fine particulate matter in the Code Orange range on Tuesday.