IDEM Issues Ozone Air Quality Action Day For June 14, 2022

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The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) is declaring an ozone Air Quality Action Day in Southwest Indiana for Tuesday, June 14, 2022.

Who might this affect?

Kids

  • Older adults
  • Those with respiratory diseases

Take precautions, such as limiting physical exertion outdoors.

Follow these simple pollution prevention tips to reduce emissions from daily activities:

  • Carpool, walk, bike, or use public transportation when possible.
  • Refuel vehicles after dusk.
  • Avoid excess idling and drive-through windows.
  • Consolidate trips and avoid fast-starts.
  • Postpone using gasoline-powered garden equipment or mowing the lawn until late evening, when temperatures are cooler.
  • Work from home to reduce vehicle emissions, if your employer provides the option.
  • Use energy efficient lighting and appliances recommended by the Energy Star Program.
  • Turn off appliances and lights when not in use to reduce emissions from energy production.
  • Adjust your thermostat by turning it up in the summer and down in the winter to reduce emissions from energy production.
  • Recycle to reduce emissions related to producing paper, plastic, glass bottles, aluminum cans, and cardboard.
  • Use “low VOC” or “zero VOC” paint and cleaning products.
  • Consider burning gas logs instead of wood to reduce smoke.
  • Avoid burning clean wood waste such as leaves and brush. If possible, recycle yard waste by shredding or chipping it at home or use a registered collection site. Never burn trash.

Air Quality Discussion

Mostly sunny skies with south winds and temperatures are already at 80 degrees with a few light showers.  Hot and increasingly humid over the next 3 days with highs in the upper 90’s and lows in the upper-70’s.  Winds will be southwesterly through Wednesday, 6-10 MPH tomorrow and 3-6 MPH Wednesday. A strong upper level ridge will influence our weather Tuesday and Wednesday with a Heat Advisory lasting until at least late Wednesday.  A surface high will be over eastern Kentucky and Tennessee.  Heat indexes may rise to 110 degrees. On Thursday a trough moves over the Great Lakes trailing a cold front which may bring a few showers.