Glen Cove Under Air Quality Alert As Temperatures Surge

GLEN COVE, NY — Parts of Long Island, including Glen Cove, are under an air quality alert Friday as temperatures surge into the 90s.

The air quality alert will be in effect until 11 p.m. on Friday.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation issues the alert when meteorologists predict levels of pollution, either ozone or fine particulate matter, are expected to exceed an Air Quality Index (AQI) value of 100. The AQI was created as an easy way to correlate levels of different pollutants to one scale, with a higher AQI value indicating a greater health concern.

Automobile exhaust and out-of-state emissions are major sources of ground-level ozone. This surface pollutant should not be confused with the protective layer of ozone in the upper atmosphere.

Low amounts of ozone at ground level can cause chest pain, shortness of breath, throat irritation, and coughing, according to the EPA. It's possible for healthy people to be sensitive to ozone and experience symptoms, as well. It can also affect those with existing lung conditions, like asthma.

To limit your ozone exposure, it's recommended to stay inside when possible and avoid strenuous activities.

PSEG Long Island is also urging customers to reduce electricity usage on Friday.

Here's the weather in Glen Cove for the rest of the day, according to the National Weather Service:

This Afternoon

• Sunny, with a steady temperature around 93. Heat index values as high as 101. Southwest wind around 8 mph.

Tonight

• A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 8 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. South wind 6 to 8 mph.