Air Quality Alert: Harford County Under Code Orange

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — An air quality alert is in effect for parts of the Baltimore metropolitan area on Thursday, including Harford County. It marks the second consecutive day a code orange air quality alert has been issued in the region.

A code orange air quality alert means that pollution concentrations may be unhealthy for sensitive groups. Children, asthmatics, heart/lung disease sufferers and older adults are considered sensitive and should avoid strenuous activity and outdoor exercise.

Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard counties are included in Thursday's alert. In particular, there may be pockets of unhealthy air along the I-95 corridor, officials said.

Warm temperatures are in the forecast, with high temps in the low 90s on Thursday in Harford County.

Ozone concentrations will rise in the first half of the day on Thursday, with afternoon cloud coverage keeping the air quality in check, the Maryland Department of the Environment said.

Cloud cover moving into the region on Friday will lower concentrations of ozone, and by Saturday, air quality should be back to a healthy level, environmental officials advise.

File photo.