Community Corner

Most of Maryland Under Air Quality Alert Friday

The code orange alert is in effect for areas of Maryland including the Baltimore and Washington metropolitan areas.

 

Unhealthy air quality conditions are expected to affect areas of Maryland as temperatures break the 90-degree mark again Friday.

The Code Orange alert, issued by the Clean Air Partners for 20 jurisdictions in Maryland including Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Cecil, Harford, Howard, Montgomery, and Prince George's counties.

Find out what's happening in Rockvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Hot and humid conditions persist on Friday with ozone reaching the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range on Friday for scattered locations mainly in the Baltimore and Washington metropolitan areas," according to a statement released by Clean Air Partners, a nonprofit organization of government agencies that partners with state to make air quality ratings accessible to the public. "On Saturday, the high pressure system moves further off the coast as an approaching cold front draws near. Somewhat cloudier skies could improve ozone back into the upper Moderate range and winds shifting south. The cold front influences the region by Sunday into Monday with cloudy skies and rain. Air quality will be in the Moderate range for most locations on Sunday and improve into the Good range by Monday."

The alert for Friday warns that air pollution could affect people more sensitive to such conditions including children, seniors, asthmatics, and those with heart or lung disease.

Find out what's happening in Rockvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Current air quality information and forecasts are also available through the Maryland Department of the Environment's Air Quality Hotline 410-537-3247. On Thursday, a message on the hotline said the department was experiencing "database problems" and referred callers to the Clean Air Partners website.


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