Air Quality Alert Issued, Storms Forecast For Parts Of GA

ATLANTA, GA — A code orange air quality alert is in effect Wednesday for parts of Georgia, making the air unhealthy for sensitive groups, according to the National Weather Service.

Additionally, central Georgia could be a target for isolated thunderstorms Wednesday afternoon, the weather service said.

The alert, issued by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Environmental Protection Division, says ozone concentrations could be at their highest in the late afternoon or early evening.

Along with metro Atlanta counties, the alert is in effect for Cherokee, Paulding, Hall and Douglas counties.

Orange denotes an air quality index of between 101-150 while an index of above 150 is considered code red, with health effects spreading to members of the general public.

Air quality alerts are triggered by a number of factors, including the detection of fine-particle pollution — known as “PM 2.5” — which can irritate the lungs.

As of early Wednesday afternoon, the air quality was moderate.

People considered to be in sensitive groups are those with lung disease such as asthma, children and teens, older adults and people who are routinely active outdoors for six or more hours a day, according to the national government-operated monitoring platform AirNow.

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As for the storms forecast to arrive in central Georgia, the weather service said the severe threat is minimal.

The storms could impact Bartow, Cherokee, Clarke, Paulding, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Forsyth, Gwinnett, Hall, Fulton, Paulding, Muscogee and several other counties.

Weather officials say storms could return to central Georgia on Thursday, Friday and Sunday afternoons. The entire Peach State could face isolated storms from Sunday through mid-next week.

As of around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, the National Weather Service predicted the following detailed forecast for metro Atlanta:

Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. Southeast wind around 5 mph.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. East wind around 5 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 71. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 95. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 74. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Saturday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 99.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 75.

Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 96.

Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74.

Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 90.

Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72.

Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 89.

Tuesday Night: A 10 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71.

Juneteenth: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 89.