Code Orange Smog Alert Issued for Tuesday

Metro Atlanta is under a Code Orange smog alert for Tuesday, the National Weather Service in Peachtree City said.

A Code Orange Alert means air quality is forecast to be unhealthy for sensitive groups, such as older adults, children, and those who suffer from heart or lung conditions (including asthma), according to Georgia Commute Options.

• Read more about air quality alerts here

The weather service said those sensitive to poor air quality should avoid prolonged outdoor exposure during the late afternoon and early evening, when ozone concentrations are at their highest. High temperatures Tuesday are expected to be in the low- to mid-90s Tuesday.

More from Georgia Commute Options:

Smog Alerts are color-coded based on the Air Quality Index which categorizes air quality in Green, Yellow, Orange, Red and Purple based on concentration of pollutants. Georgia Commute Options provides Smog Alerts on days when there’s a forecast for air pollution to reach unhealthy concentration levels— Code Orange or higher. Metro Atlanta residents can subscribe to these at GaCommuteOptions.com. In 2014, there were 11 Smog Alerts — nine Code Orange alerts and two Code Purple (very unhealthy) alerts.

The alert is the third Code Orange of the 2015 smog season.

Image: NWS screenshot showing metro Atlanta counties under Code Orange smog alert for Tuesday, July 28.