Air Quality In Bucks County Will Be Unhealthy To Some Tuesday

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Environmental officials said Tuesday's air quality in the Philadelphia region could be dangerous to some people due to high levels of ozone.

On Monday, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection said Tuesday will be an air quality action day. Officials said the day's ozone levels will reach the code orange range, meaning the air could be unhealthy to sensitive groups.

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 Friday, the department said.

According to officials, Tuesday's forecast will have sunshine for the most part, with a hot afternoon.

Ozone concentrations will again go into the code orange during the afternoon, with middle moderate fine particle concentrations as low level smoke lingers and any mixing remains light.
Wednesday will be the hottest day of the next several days, with temperatures in the middle 90s. If thunderstorms are delayed until the evening hours, code orange ozone is again a possibility. Fine particle concentrations levels will remain moderate with a very light south wind.

Better air quality is in store for the latter part of this week. The public is encouraged to help reduce ozone pollution by:

• Driving less by carpooling or using public transportation;
• Combining errands to reduce vehicle trips;
• Limiting engine idling;
• Refueling cars and trucks after dusk; and
• Conserving electricity by setting air conditioning to a higher temperature and turning off lights that are not in use.

Reducing fine particulate matter pollution in the air can be aided by:

• Limiting 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.