Code Orange Air Quality Alert Declared In GA

A code orange air quality alert is in effect Friday for parts of Georgia, making the air unhealthy for sensitive groups, according to the National Weather Service.

The alert, issued by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Environmental Protection Division, says ozone concentrations could be at their highest in the late afternoon or early evening.

Along with metro Atlanta counties, the alert is in effect for Cherokee, Paulding, Hall and Douglas counties.

Orange denotes an air quality index of between 101-150 while an index of above 150 is considered code red, with health effects spreading to members of the general public.

Code orange means that the air is unhealthy for sensitive groups including children, seniors, people with asthma and people with lung/heart diseases. Those groups may want to minimize strenuous activity and time spent outdoors, according to the National Weather Service.

Air quality alerts are triggered by a number of factors, including the detection of fine-particle pollution — known as “PM 2.5” — which can irritate the lungs. As of Friday morning, the air quality was moderate.

People considered to be in sensitive groups are those with lung disease such as asthma, children and teens, older adults and people who are routinely active outdoors for six or more hours a day, according to the national government-operated monitoring platform AirNow.Gov.

Georgia's AQI is forecast to reach 101 Friday. Code orange stretches between 101 and 150.

Ozone forms when sunlight triggers a chemical reaction between airborne pollutants like nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds. While these ozone-forming pollutants typically come from vehicle exhaust and industrial emissions, wildfire smoke can also contribute to their presence. Ozone pollution is most prevalent in densely populated regions, where traffic and industrial activity are concentrated.

Georgia will be spared rainfall for the next several days. The NWS predicted sunshine and low humidity and reported temperatures will return to the low 90s by early next week.

Here is the National Weather Service's Friday morning forecast for metro Atlanta:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 86. East wind around 5 mph.

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 64. East wind around 5 mph.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 86. East wind around 5 mph.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 63. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 65.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 89.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 66.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 88.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 66.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 88.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 66.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 87.