It's Going to be Hot Today, Code Orange Smog Alert

Weather today for the Cumming area is calling for:

• A 30% chance of showers. Becoming partly sunny, with a high near 94. Heat index values as high as 104.

• Thursday Night, a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, otherwise partly cloudy, with a low around 74.

The Cumming area is also under a smog alert for Thursday, July 21, issued by the Georgia Clean Air Campaign.

Today’s air quality index (AQI) forecast is 103, an unhealthy range for sensitive groups. The corresponding ozone concentration is 77 parts per billion.

A code orange advisory means children, people who are sensitive to ozone, and people with heart or lung disease should limit prolonged outdoor exertion during the late afternoon or early evening when ozone concentrations are highest.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) has five color-coded levels: green or good (AQI 0 to 50), yellow or moderate (AQI 51 to 100), orange or unhealthy for sensitive groups (AQI 101-150), red or unhealthy  (AQI 151 to 200) and purple or very unhealthy (AQI 201 to 300).

The Clean Air Campaign issues smog alerts on days when the concentrations of either ozone or particle pollution -- or both -- are expected to reach unhealthy levels.

To help improve air quality, The Clean Air Campaign recommends the following steps to keep more cars off the road thereby reducing the amount of smog-forming vehicle emissions that contribute to poor air quality:

• Commuters can carpool, vanpool, walk, cycle, ride transit or telework.

• Parents can walk with children to school, look into riding the school bus or make sure children's school participate in the Clean Air School program.

• Businesses can encourage alternative commute options, offer incentives to use clean commutes and get free consulting services for doing this from The Clean Air Campaign.

A heat advisory means that a period of dangerous heat is expected. Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room and stay out of direct sunshine. Remember the elderly, very young and people with heart conditions are most at risk in extreme heat. Friends, relatives and neighbors should check on people who may be at risk. People are advised to reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or after sunset where possible and to know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.