Air Quality Warning for Montgomery County: How you can help

On Friday, the air could be unhealthy for some residents. What you should know and how you can help:

June 14, 2024, 11:11 a.m. EDT

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA — An air quality warning was issued Friday for Montgomery County and the rest of the Philadelphia metropolitan area, the National Weather Service said.

The orange alert level indicates “unhealthy” air for sensitive groups such as children, the elderly and people with asthma, heart or lung disease.

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The health impacts can be minimized by avoiding outdoor sports or strenuous activities, officials said.

“Predominantly sunny skies and temperatures around 95 degrees Fahrenheit will create conditions for strong ozone development and formation up to the orange range during the afternoon hours,” said a statement from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

Orange is the second worst air quality level on the DEP’s scale. Red indicates pollution levels that are harmful to the health of all persons.

According to government environmental agencies, residents can help reduce poor quality by following these tips:

• Save electricity by increasing the air conditioning temperature
• Combine errands to reduce car trips
• Limiting engine idling
• Refueling cars and trucks after dark

The poor air quality comes just ahead of potentially destructive thunderstorms on Friday that could bring large hail, strong winds and torrential rain.

Related Topics: Severe thunderstorms hit Eastern PA: Latest updates, timing

Meanwhile, the coming heatwave is likely to become even more severe after Friday’s thunderstorms pass, and there may be up to seven days in a row of highs above 32 degrees.