North Central Indiana focus of Air Quality Action Days Thursday, Friday

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has forecast Air Quality Action Days (AQADs) for Thursday, Sept. 19 and Friday, Sept. 20, 2024 in multiple regions.

On Thursday, ozone levels are expected to be in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range (Orange) in the following areas:

• Northwest Indiana, including the cities of: Crown Point, Gary, Hammond, Kentland, LaPorte, Michigan City, Portage, Rensselaer, Valparaiso and all other cities within the area.
• North Central Indiana, including the cities of: Elkhart, Goshen, Knox, Logansport, Plymouth, Peru, South Bend, Warsaw, Winamac and all other cities within the area.

On Friday, ozone levels are expected to be in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range (Orange) in the following areas:

• North Central Indiana, including the cities of: Elkhart, Goshen, Knox, Logansport, Plymouth, Peru, South Bend, Warsaw, Winamac and all other cities within the area.
• Southeast Indiana, including the cities of: Brownstown, Corydon, Jeffersonville, Madison, New Albany, Salem, Versailles and all other cities within the area.

Warm temperatures, low humidity and light winds will create conditions that are favorable for ozone development that reaches the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (USG) range in these areas. A low pressure system will begin to move east across the lower Great Lakes on Friday and direct the warm front southward and increase humidity. 

Hoosiers can visit SmogWatch.IN.gov to:

• View air quality information for all Indiana counties, including a state map of affected counties;
• Learn more about Air Quality Action Days and recommended actions;
• Learn more about ozone and fine particulate matter; and
• Sign up for air quality alerts.

Air Quality Action Days are in effect from midnight to 11:59 p.m. (24-hours) on the specified dates. Some municipalities have additional open burning restrictions on AQADs. For more information, see idem.IN.gov/openburning/laws-and-rules.