Air Quality Alert Issued In Montgomery County Tuesday

NORRISTOWN, PA — An air quality alert has been issued for much of the Philadelphia region Monday, including Montgomery County, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection said.

Temperatures are forecast to rise to 93 or 94 degrees in parts of Montgomery County Monday.

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The conditions will lead to high ozone concentrations, officials said.

The code orange alert indicates "unhealthy" air for sensitive groups like children, the elderly, and those with asthma, heart disease, or lung disease.

The alert also impacts Philadelphia, Chester, Bucks, Delaware, Lehigh, Berks, Northampton, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lebanon, Lancaster, and York counties.

Health impacts can be minimized by avoiding outdoor exercise or strenuous activity, officials said.

Orange is the next to worst level of air quality in the DEP's scale. Red indicates unhealthy pollution levels for all individuals.

Residents can help reduce poor quality by following these tips, according to state environmental officials:

• Driving less by carpooling or using public transportation
• Combining errands to reduce vehicle trips
• Limiting engine idling
• Refueling cars and trucks after dusk
• Conserving electricity by setting air conditioning to a higher temperature and turning off lights that are not in use