Air Quality Health Advisory Declared For Long Island

LONG ISLAND, NY—An Air Quality Health Advisory was declared on Long Island on Wednesday by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation due to high levels of ozone.

An air quality index reading, which forecasts how polluted the air is or will be, has Long Island pegged at 101, which means the air is unhealthy for sensitive groups.

While Long Island's AQI is slated to return to 60 tomorrow, a moderate reading, the National Weather Service issued an air quality alert as recently as last month.

Breathing in ground-level ozone can be harmful to your health, the the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention writes on its website. Ozone has been linked to coughing and pain when taking a deep breath, lung and throat irritation as well as wheezing and trouble breathing during exercise or outdoor activities.

Dangerous levels of ozone can impact anyone. To keep safe during periods of high levels of ozone, the CDC advises people to spend more time inside and choose easier outdoor activities (walking instead of running).