Virginia air quality information - May 12, 2008 - 8:59 PM

Current air quality and forecasts by region

Region	Current Conditions		Forecast for May 12, 2008		Forecast for May 13, 2008
Region	Air Quality Index	Primary Pollutant	Forecast	Primary Pollutant	Forecast	Primary Pollutant
Northern Virginia	Good - 31	Ozone	Good	particles	green	ozone
Richmond Area	Good - 33	Ozone	Good	ozone	green	ozone
Hampton Roads	Good - 36	Ozone	Good	ozone	green	ozone
Roanoke Area	Good - 29	Ozone	Good	ozone	green	ozone
Winchester Area	Good - 25	Ozone	Good	ozone	green	ozone

New - you can now receive air quality forecasts and health alerts by email using DEQcast, our new public information service. Go to DEQcast to begin.

You can also receive updates for the Washington, DC metro area from Clean Air Partners.

Air quality history - ozone at unhealthy levels

Air quality information is now available as an RSS feed:

Air quality information from DEQ monitors is unofficial until quality-assured by the DEQ Office of Air Monitoring.

About the Air Quality Index

The Air Quality Index is a measurement of air quality that is calculated from ozone and fine particle pollution measurements over the past few hours. A higher AQI indicates a higher level of air pollution, and consequently, a greater potential for health problems.

Level	Color	Description
**	White	Air quality information is unavailable.
0-50	Green	Good air quality. Little or no health risk.
51-100	Yellow	Moderate air quality. People who are unusually sensitive to air pollution may be mildly affected.
101-150	Orange	Unhealthy for sensitive groups. These groups may experience health problems due to air pollution.
151-200	Red	Unhealthy. The general public may experience mild health effects. Sensitive groups may have more serious health problems.
201-300	Purple	Very unhealthy. Everyone is susceptible to more serious health problems.

More information from EPA

About air quality

DEQ monitors levels of ozone and particle pollution from stations around Virginia. Both of these are pollutants that, at high levels, may raise health concerns in some people.

Ground-level ozone is the main ingredient in smog. It is a colorless gas formed by the reaction of sunlight with vehicle emissions, gasoline fumes, solvent vapors, and power plant and industrial emissions. Ozone formation is most likely in hot, dry weather when the air is fairly still.

Particle pollution monitoring is now available on the web for select areas in Virginia. Particle pollution is made up of particles found in soot, dust, smoke, and fumes. The burning of coal, oil, diesel, and other fuels produces these particles. The particles are small enough to enter deep into the lungs and cause health problems.

Ozone and particle pollution have been linked to short-term health concerns, particularly among children, asthmatics, people with heart or lung disease, and older adults. The effects of these pollutants can be minimized by avoiding strenuous activity or exercise when levels are high. You can use the forecast for the following day to plan your activities during the summer months. More information on the health effects of air pollutants is available from AirNow.

What can I do?

Be aware. Keep an eye on the pollutant levels and forecasts for your area.
When levels are high, stay inside if you can. Avoid strenuous outdoor activity.
Help keep pollutant levels low by avoiding unnecessary fuel consumption. Use carpools and fuel-efficient vehicles.
Avoid the use of any other gasoline engines, such as mowers and other lawn equipment, or boat motors.
Save power by turning off lights and appliances when they are not needed.
Avoid burning yard debris or brush.

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