For the second straight day, the region is under a forecast ozone action day, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection said.
For a second straight day, the Lehigh Valley is under an air quality advisory for Friday.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection today forecast an orange ozone air quality action day for the region encompassing Lehigh and Northampton counties and for the Philadelphia area, which includes Bucks County.
The orange alert follows a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standardized air quality index that uses colors to report daily air quality. Green signifies good; yellow means moderate; orange represents unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive people; and red warns of unhealthy pollution levels for all.
On air quality action days, the DEP urges young children, the elderly and those with respiratory problems such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis to limit outdoor activities.
Ground-level ozone, a key component of smog, forms during warm weather when pollution from vehicles, industry, households and power plants heats up in the hot sun, making it hard for some people to breathe, the DEP says.
New Jersey health officials are also monitoring the heat wave that arrived late Wednesday afternoon and is forecast to linger through the weekend, with temperatures forecast into the low 90s.
The New Jersey Office of Emergency Management and the New Jersey Department of Health suggest heat-related emergency safety tips that include:
- Stay indoors in air conditioning and, if outside, in the shade as much as possible.
- For homes that are not air conditioned, spend at least two hours daily at an air conditioned mall, library or other public place.
- Wear sunscreen outside, along with loose fitting light colored clothes that cover as much skin as possible.
- Drink water regularly even if you are not thirsty. Limit alcohol and sugary drinks that speed dehydration.
- Never leave children or pets alone in the car.
- Avoid exertion during the hottest part of the day.
- Take a cool shower or bath.
- Check on elderly and people with disabilities who may need assistance keeping cool.