Philly and its suburbs are under a Code Orange due to poor air quality
Under a Code Orange, air quality may be unhealthy for vulnerable groups such as children, people with asthma, people with heart or lung disease, and older adults.
Rowhouses in Philadelphia’s Northern Liberties neighborhood. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
- Vulnerable residents are encouraged to stay indoors and limit or avoid outdoor activities.
- Here’s how to understand your air quality index.
- More air quality events can be expected this summer thanks to climate change.
The Philadelphia region on Thursday is under a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for Ozone.
The alert, issued Wednesday by the state Department of Environmental Protection, includes Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties.
Also included are Berks, Lehigh, and Northampton counties in the Lehigh Valley, and Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York counties in the Susquehanna Valley.
Ozone, a gas that’s harmful when breathed in, forms from a combination of heat and different pollutants.
Related Content
Philly’s summer has been wetter than normal. So what’s with the drought watch?
Drought declarations are not just based on rain. They also consider soil moisture, stream flow, and groundwater, which tends to lag behind rain.
1 year ago
An 8-hour average of ozone concentrations in the Code Orange range is expected, state Department of Environmental Protection officials said, citing partly to mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-90s.
Under a Code Orange, air pollution concentrations may be unhealthy for vulnerable groups such as children, people with asthma, people with heart or lung disease, and older adults.
Local conditions may fall above or below Code Orange range. Residents are encouraged to visit AirNow.gov to check local conditions.
Get daily updates from WHYY News!
WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.
A massive N.J. wildfire is nearly contained. Here’s what to know about wildfire smoke
Scientists say forecasts don’t indicate a repeat of last summer’s wildfire smoke emergency in the Philly area.
3 months ago
Code Orange declared for Philly, suburbs due to poor air quality
Under a Code Orange, air quality may be unhealthy for vulnerable groups such as children, people with asthma, people with heart or lung disease, and older adults.
4 months ago
Code Orange declared for Philly, suburbs due to poor air quality
Under a Code Orange, air quality may be unhealthy for vulnerable groups such as children, people with asthma, people with heart or lung disease, and older adults.
1 year ago