Orange Air Quality Alert Issued for Maryland on Monday

Authorities have issued an air quality alert for the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., metro areas on Monday, June 20, warning that ozone levels will be high.

The orange alert means "unhealthy for sensitive groups," according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Very warm temperatures and plenty of sunshine Monday will send ozone concentrations well into the unhealthy for sensitive groups category for most locations with the exception of western Maryland, according to the Maryland Department of the Environment. A weak cold front is expected to make its way south through the region Tuesday, and the general cloudiness, along with spotty precipitation, should help clean things out a bit.

Counties included in the alert are: Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George's, along with Washington, D.C., and the city of Baltimore, says the National Weather Service.

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The most familiar form of ozone is the ozone that forms a layer high in the Earth’s atmosphere, protecting us from ultraviolet rays. But when ozone forms at ground level, it’s considered a major air pollutant — and a health hazard, if levels exceed an Air Quality Index of 100. (As is forecasted Monday, when the ozone level should reach 143.)

Ozone is formed when pollutants emitted by cars, power plants, industrial boilers, refineries, chemical plants, and other sources react chemically in the presence of sunlight, scientists say.

State officials say that although the general public is not likely to be affected at this AQI range, people with lung disease, older adults and children are at a greater risk from exposure to ozone, while people with heart and lung disease, older adults and children are at greater risk from the presence of particles in the air.

When outdoor levels of ozone are elevated, going indoors will usually reduce your exposure. Individuals experiencing symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain or coughing should consider consulting their doctor.

The effects of air pollution can be minimized by avoiding strenuous activity or exercise outdoors, according to the National Weather Service.

"Think of the AQI as a yardstick that runs from 0 to 500," the EPA says on its website. "The higher the AQI value, the greater the level of air pollution and the greater the health concern. For example, an AQI value of 50 represents good air quality with little potential to affect public health, while an AQI value over 300 represents hazardous air quality. ... When AQI values are above 100, air quality is considered to be unhealthy-at first for certain sensitive groups of people, then for everyone as AQI values get higher."

Orange level would put the air quality between 101 and 150.

Find more information at http://mde.maryland.gov/air or the Air Quality Hotline at 410-537-3247.