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Warmer Weather Marks Beginning of Daily Ozone Forecasts Monitoring Health of PA's Air

Posted on: Tuesday, 28 April 2009, 11:36 CDT

Start of Monitoring Coincides with National Air Quality Awareness Week, April 27 - May 1

HARRISBURG, Pa., April 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger said today that Pennsylvania's recent spell of warm weather has brought with it the beginning of the 2009 ozone forecasting season, which runs through mid-September.

DEP issues daily ozone reports using weather forecasts to predict when concentrations of ground-level ozone may reach unhealthy levels.

Ozone in the upper atmosphere protects the skin by shielding it from harmful ultraviolet rays, but ground-level ozone is a key component in smog. It forms during warm weather when pollution from vehicles, industries, households and power plants "bakes" in the hot sun, making it hard for some people to breathe.

"High levels of ground-level ozone affect everyone, especially children, the elderly, people with respiratory illnesses, and those who work or exercise regularly outdoors," said Hanger. "Air quality action days will be called when ozone levels are expected to be unhealthy to breathe. Forecasts alert at-risk groups that a change in their outdoor activities may be necessary to avoid any health-related problems.

"The alerts also signal to residents that they should try to voluntarily limit pollution-producing activities."

DEP is again partnering with air quality partnerships in the Susquehanna Valley (Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties), southwest Pennsylvania (Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties) and Lehigh Valley/Berks (Lehigh, Berks and Northampton counties) regions to provide color-coded forecasts warning about the potential for poor air quality.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Air Quality Index uses green and yellow to signify good and moderate air quality, orange for unhealthy ozone levels for sensitive people, and red warns of unhealthy ozone levels for everyone. DEP meteorologists will issue the forecasts at 2 p.m.

The Delaware Valley region (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties) maintains its own forecasts through the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. To find out about the partnerships or to sign up to receive the forecast by e-mail, go to www.aqpartners.org. Visit www.airqualitypartnership.org for details about the commission.

The daily ozone forecasts coincide with the start of the EPA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service Air Quality Awareness Week. This year's theme is "Be Air Aware" and features daily air quality topics. For more information, visit www.epa.gov/airnow/airaware.

DEP also provides year-round forecasts for fine particulate matter, commonly called PM2.5. Beginning today, forecasters will begin using a new threshold for triggering PM2.5 Air Quality Action Days. Improved scientific research about the effects of particulate matter on health prompted a new federal threshold of 35.5 parts per million, five lower than the old concentration. Hanger said the lower threshold will likely increase the number of PM2.5 Air Quality Action Days, but not represent a decrease in the actual air quality.

For more information, visit www.depweb.state.pa.us, keyword Air Quality.

CONTACT: John Repetz (717) 787-1323

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

Source: PR Newswire

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