Code Orange Issued, Fire Threat Also Increased: Weather Officials

BALTIMORE, MD — The National Weather Service is advising people in Maryland to be extra careful on Thursday, May 3. The weather service issued a special weather statement that applies to much of the state.

The Baltimore metro area is under a code orange on Thursday, May 3. Code orange indicates that air pollution concentrations may become unhealthy for certain people. Children, older adults, and people with heart/lung disease or asthma may be particularly affected. To minimize the effects from the air quality, they should avoid strenuous activity and outdoor exercise Thursday, according to the Maryland Department of the Environment, which issued the air quality alert.

The "code orange" status applies to Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Cecil, Harford and Howard counties.

There is also an increased threat of wildfires on Thursday due to the combination of low humidity and southwest winds between 15 and 25 mph, according to the National Weather Service, which issued a special weather statement with a cautionary note.

The weather service advised people be careful handling any source of ignition, from matches to machinery to cigarettes; and to dispose properly of any smoking materials, since dry grasses and trees have the potential to spread quickly if they catch fire.

Warm temperatures are in the forecast, with high temps expected to climb toward 90 on Thursday.

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