After a sunny and pleasant late summer weekend, mother nature is dialing up the heat and the air pollution today.
A Code Orange air quality alert is in effect today due to both ground-level ozone and more Canadian wildfire smoke wafting down to the D.C. area. That’s on top of a predicted high temperature of 95.
From the National Weather Service:
Fairfax-Western Loudoun-Eastern Loudoun-Northwest Prince William-
Central and Southeast Prince William/Manassas/Manassas Park-
Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria-
440 PM EDT Sun Aug 20 2023…AIR QUALITY ALERT IS IN EFFECT FOR MONDAY AUGUST 21 2023…
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has issued a Code ORANGE Air Quality Alert Monday for Northern Virginia.
A Code Orange Air Quality Alert means that air pollution concentrations within the region may become unhealthy for sensitive groups. Sensitive groups include children, people suffering from asthma, heart disease or other lung diseases, and the elderly. The effects of air pollution can be minimized by avoiding strenuous activity or exercise outdoors.
For more information on ground-level ozone and fine particles, visit the Virginia DEQ air quality Website at www.deq.virginia.gov.
Despite the current haze, the air quality level in Arlington is listed as moderate (yellow), according to AirNow, but that is expected to deteriorate to Code Orange later in the day.
