Delaware residents are being urged to take precautions Friday as the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has issued a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for the entire state due to elevated ozone levels. The alert means air quality is expected to reach levels considered “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups”, including children, older adults, and individuals with asthma, lung disease, or other respiratory conditions.
According to DNREC forecasters, a combination of weather conditions is expected to promote ozone formation across the First State. A morning temperature inversion will trap pollutants near the ground, while mostly sunny skies and afternoon temperatures climbing into the lower 90s will help increase ozone production. Light west-southwest winds will also allow pollutants to accumulate and drift into Delaware from neighboring states. As a result, ozone levels are forecast to reach an Air Quality Index (AQI) value of 101, placing Delaware in the Code Orange category.
Ground-level ozone forms when emissions from vehicles, power plants, and industrial sources react with sunlight and heat. Unlike the protective ozone layer high in the atmosphere, ground-level ozone can irritate the lungs, trigger asthma attacks, reduce lung function, and make it more difficult to breathe, especially during periods of prolonged outdoor activity.
DNREC recommends that sensitive groups limit strenuous outdoor activities during the afternoon and early evening hours when ozone concentrations are typically highest. Residents can also help reduce air pollution by limiting daytime driving, avoiding prolonged vehicle idling, postponing the use of gasoline-powered lawn equipment until evening, and combining errands into a single trip.
The air quality outlook is expected to improve somewhat this weekend. While warm temperatures and sunshine will continue to support ozone production on Saturday, increasing winds should help disperse pollutants. By Sunday, a weak cold front is expected to bring northwesterly winds that will gradually usher cleaner air into the region.
For the latest air quality forecasts and real-time conditions, residents can visit DNREC’s Air Quality Forecast page or monitor conditions through the EPA’s AirNow website.
