Air quality expected to remain poor as heat wave continues

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management has declared another Air Quality Action Day for today in most of central and southern Indiana.

The combination of unseasonably warm temperatures, sunny skies, and light wildfire smoke is raising the expected ground-level ozone levels today. That is leading to a warning from the agency that the air quality might be unhealthy for some people.

High ozone near the ground acts a lung irritant. It can cause coughing and breathing difficulties for sensitive populations. Children, the elderly, anyone with heart conditions or with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exposure tomorrow.

The warning is in effect until midnight tonight.

You can get more information at http://www.in.gov/idem/airmonitoring/smogwatch/