Air quality today: orange is unhealthy for sensitive groups. EPA graphicAir quality throughout Connecticut is predicted to be unhealthy today due to elevated concentrations of ground-level ozone, commonly called smog.
The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection and the Environmental Protection Agency also said they expect elevated levels of particulate matter.
While anyone can be affected by ozone, groups particularly sensitive include children and adults who are active outdoors, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, the agencies said.
When particulate concentrations in the ambient air are elevated, people with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly and children are the groups most at risk.
An advisory urged everyone, especially children, to limit strenuous outdoor activity during the afternoon and early evening hours, when ozone levels are highest. Schedule outdoor exercise and children’s outdoor activities in the morning hours, it said.
When particulate concentrations in the ambient air are elevated, people with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly and children should limit prolonged exertion, according to the advisory.
Unlike ozone, however, particulate concentrations can be elevated throughout the day, and thus affected individuals are not recommended to simply reschedule their exercise to the morning hours.
The weather forecast for today called for sunny, very warm and humid conditions with highs around 90.
Forecasters said a cold front in western New York will head eastward during the day, reaching western New England by evening. Clouds, showers and thunderstorms will accompany the frontal passage, some of which may produce heavy rainfall.
