Rockingham County Under Code Orange Air Quality Alert For Tuesday

CONCORD, NH — Rockingham County is under a Code Orange Air Quality Alert for Tuesday, May 19, as the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services expects ground-level ozone concentrations to reach unhealthy levels for sensitive groups.

The alert also applies to any high elevation sites above 2,000 feet, according to NHDES.

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A Code Orange Air Quality Alert means air pollution concentrations in the affected areas may become unhealthy for sensitive groups. NHDES advised sensitive individuals to take precautions to protect their health by limiting prolonged outdoor exertion. The agency said sensitive individuals include children and older adults, anyone with lung disease such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis, and people who are active outdoors.

NHDES also said even healthy individuals may experience mild health effects and should consider limiting strenuous or prolonged outdoor activities. The agency reported the ozone event is the result of winds transporting pollutant emissions from surrounding areas into New Hampshire, where they then combine with local emissions. High temperatures and sunny skies enhance the creation of ozone from those precursor pollutants, according to the department.

The agency said the severity of health effects increases as air pollution concentrations rise. Symptoms of air pollution exposure may include chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing. People with asthma and other existing lung diseases may not be able to breathe as deeply or vigorously as normal and may experience symptoms such as coughing and shortness of breath, according to NHDES.

Conditions are expected to improve later this week as temperatures cool, the department reported. For more information, NHDES said residents can call the agency at 603-271-1370. Air quality forecasts and current air pollution levels in New Hampshire are also available by calling 1-800-935-SMOG or by visiting the NHDES website.

The alert focuses on public health risks tied to ozone exposure on Tuesday. Residents in affected areas, especially those in sensitive groups, may want to plan outdoor activity with the advisory in mind and check updated forecasts as conditions change.