The scorching heat and stormy weather might have already been keeping you indoors Thursday, but declining air quality in metro Atlanta made it even more important for some to limit time outside.
A Code Orange air quality alert went into effect briefly on Thursday for several North Georgia counties as far west as Carrol, east as Barrow, south as Pike and north as Dawson.
Before 7 p.m., the reading had dropped back into a “moderate” zone, which means the air quality is “acceptable” though there may be some risk for those who are “unusually sensitive to air pollution,” according to the U.S. Air Quality Index.
Credit: National Weather Service
Credit: National Weather Service
A Code Orange is triggered when the air quality index reaches a value of 101 to 150, meaning it’s “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” The reading in parts of the metro area was 115 at 5 p.m. Thursday.
Just before 7 p.m., it lowered to 87, considered in the “moderate” range for air quality.
Anything from zero to 50 is considered “good” air quality, while a value of 301 or higher is considered “hazardous.”
During a Code Orange, the National Weather Service says that the air quality is expected to be unhealthy for some individuals, including children, people sensitive to ozone and those with heart or lung disease.
The alert came because of an increased level of ozone.
Ozone is a gas created when chemicals coming out of vehicles and factories get “cooked” by the sun, making smog alerts most common in the summer, according to the U.S. Air Quality Index. Inhaling it can sometimes be painful and could make the lining of your airways red and swollen, similar to a sunburn.
Even with all the recent rain, we’re in a “very stagnant pattern,” according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, which monitors air quality. That means there’s been little movement in the atmosphere, which has allowed pollutants to compound over the last few days, the agency explained.
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