IDEM forecasts Air Quality Action Day for Monday, Tuesday in southern Indiana

Southwest Indiana, including the cities of: Bedford, Bloomfield, Evansville, Huntingburg, Mount Vernon, Paoli, Princeton, Rockport, Tell City, Vincennes and all other cities within the area.

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has forecast Air Quality Action Days (AQADs) for Monday, Aug. 5 and Tuesday, Aug.6, 2024, for two Indiana regions.

Ozone levels are expected to be in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range (Orange) in the following areas:

• Southeast Indiana, including the cities of: Brownstown, Corydon, Jeffersonville, Madison, New Albany, Salem, Versailles and all other cities within the area.
• Southwest Indiana, including the cities of: Bedford, Bloomfield, Evansville, Huntingburg, Mount Vernon, Paoli, Princeton, Rockport, Tell City, Vincennes and all other cities within the area.

A system of high pressure across the lower Ohio Valley has allowed some light smoke to reach the surface. This combined with light winds and sunny skies may lead to ozone levels that reach the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (USG) range in these areas.

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.