Code Orange Air Quality Alert Issued For Philadelphia Metro

DELAWARE VALLEY, PA — The Pennsyvlania Department of Environmental Protection has issued a code orange air quality alert for Wednesday, June 4, for the Philadelphia Metro area, including Bucks County.

The alert means that air pollution concentrations within the region may become unhealthy for sensitive groups. Sensitive groups include children, people suffering from asthma, heart disease or other lung diseases and the elderly.

The effects of air pollution can be minimized by avoiding strenuous activity or exercise outdoors.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, sunshine through a layer of smoke from the Canadian wildfires as well as high temperatures in the upper 80s will lead to rapid ozone development during the late morning/afternoon, with peak afternoon concentrations in the code ORANGE range, especially along the I-95 corridor.

Sensitive persons should take precautions and monitor air quality in their locality by visiting www.airnow.gov.

According to the DEP, ozone will continue to be in the moderate range on Thursday as a thin layer of smoke persists along with sunshine and a very warm afternoon. Winds may turn southeasterly Friday with clouds and some sunshine. While the air quality remains moderate, concentrations of pollutants will be down in the low end of the moderate scale, the DEP said.

Air quality might improve to the good range Saturday, with a cold frontal passage along with showers and a thunderstorm. The air is expected to dry out Sunday with partly sunny skies as surface winds turn northwesterly, but the DEP said it will have to watch an area of smoke across the Great Lakes for possible impacts on the Commonwealth.