Air Quality Alert Issued For Union County Thursday

UNION COUNTY, NJ — Today is a good day to stay indoors as the National Weather Service has issued an air quality alert and hazardous weather outlook for Union County.

The air quality alert is in effect from 10 a.m. Thursday to 10 p.m. this evening. Temperatures are expected to hit a high near 92. Heat index values as high as 99.

"An Air Quality Action Day means that Ground Level Ozone within the region may approach or exceed unhealthy standards," the NWS reported.

A hazardous weather outlook was also issued for the possibility of severe thunderstorms mainly after 2 p.m. on Thursday. Some storms could be severe, with damaging winds and heavy rain.

Things are expected to cool down after the showers. Here is a look ahead at the forecast:

Tonight: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 8 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. West wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Friday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after noon. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Cloudy, with a high near 76. East wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Friday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 10pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m.. Cloudy, with a low around 68. East wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday: Patchy fog before 9 a.m. Otherwise, cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 86. Light northwest wind increasing to 5 to 9 mph in the morning.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 66.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 88.

(Image via Shutterstock)

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