Air Quality Alert In Effect Through Monday Night Across LI: National Weather Service

LONG ISLAND, NY — An air quality alert remains in effect across Long Island until 11 p.m. Monday, officials said.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has issued the alert, stating that air quality levels in outdoor air are predicted to be greater than an Air Quality Index value of 100 for the pollutant of ground level ozone. The Air Quality Index, or AQI, was created as an easy way to correlate levels of different pollutants to one scale. The higher the AQI value, the greater the health concern, the DEC said.

When pollution levels are elevated, the New York State Department of Health recommends that individuals consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity to reduce the risk of adverse health effects. People who may be especially sensitive to the effects of elevated levels of pollutants include the very young, and those with preexisting respiratory problems such as asthma or heart disease. Those with symptoms should consider consulting their personal physician.

According to Bryan Ramsey, meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Upton, Mother Nature will bring warm temps to Long Island this week: Heat index values may touch 95 degrees on Wednesday and Thursday for western Suffolk and Nassau County, he said.

Overall, though, he added, highs this week will stay below 90 degrees across Long Island, with temperatures in the mid-to-upper 80s.

Thunderstorms are possible Wednesday night into Thursday, Ramsey said. The chance of rain is sparked by a slow-moving frontal system passing through the area that could bring scattered showers and the chance of a thunderstorm, he said.