TRENTON, NJ – As the heat index in New Jersey soared past 100 degrees, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection issued a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for Ground Level Ozone, in effect until 11 PM EDT today.
The alert calls for sensitive populations, such as the very young, the elderly, and those with respiratory diseases like asthma, to refrain from strenuous outdoor activities during the afternoon and evening hours.
High-pressure conditions, combined with hot temperatures in the mid-90s, sunny skies, and light winds, are causing ozone levels to reach the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (USG) category, specifically along and south of the I-95 corridor.
Fine particulate levels are also expected to remain in the moderate category.
A Code Orange Air Quality Action Day means that air quality within the region could approach or surpass levels considered unhealthy for some individuals. For real-time updates on air quality, the public is advised to consult www.airnow.gov or www.state.nj.us/dep/airmon/, or call the New Jersey Bureau of Air Monitoring at 609-292-0138.