An Air Quality Action Day has been issued for parts of Michiana. Here’s why
Alert covers northwest Indiana now, expands to north central region Tuesday
INDIANAPOLIS (WNDU) - The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has issued an Air Quality Action Day for parts of Michiana over the next two days.
The alert is currently in effect for northwest Indiana, including Crown Point, Gary, Hammond, Kentland, LaPorte, Michigan City, Portage, Rensselaer and Valparaiso.
The alert will expand into north central Indiana on Tuesday, July 14, adding the cities of Elkhart, Goshen, Knox, Logansport, Plymouth, Peru, South Bend, Warsaw, Winamac and all other cities within the affected area.
What’s driving the alert
High surface pressure is building over the region, with hot temperatures, sunny skies and light winds expected through Tuesday, according to IDEM. Those conditions are expected to produce ozone readings in the “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups,” or “Orange,” range (see chart below).
IDEM said the northwest region is the first concern, as pollutant buildup over Lake Michigan is a contributing factor. Ozone buildup is also expected to affect north central Indiana as hot and sunny conditions persist.
The young, the elderly and those with health conditions are encouraged to limit their time outdoors during the alert period.
Air quality information for all Indiana counties, including a state map of affected counties, is available at SmogWatch.IN.gov.
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