NWS Baltimore/Washington Air Quality

As a public service, the National Weather Service's Baltimore/Washington Forecast Office will redistribute Air Quality Forecasts produced by the Maryland Department of the Environment, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and Metro Washington Council of Governments.

Latest AQI forecast:

000
AEUS71 KLWX 212025
AQILWX

AIR QUALITY FORECAST
MD DEPT OF ENVIRONMENT AND VA DEPT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
RELAYED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
425 PM EDT TUE MAY 21 2013

THE AIR QUALITY FORECASTS FOR NORTHERN VIRGINIA AND FREDERICK
COUNTY VIRGINIA ARE PROVIDED BY THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.  THE AIR QUALITY FORECAST FOR THE DC
METRO IS PROVIDED BY THE METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON COUNCIL OF
GOVERNMENTS.  AIR QUALITY FORECASTS FOR MARYLAND ARE PROVIDED
BY THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT.

DCZ001-MDZ004-009-013-016>018-VAZ042-052>054-222000-
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA-FREDERICK MD-MONTGOMERY-PRINCE GEORGES-
CHARLES-ST. MARYS-CALVERT-LOUDOUN-
PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK-FAIRFAX-
ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA-
425 PM EDT TUE MAY 21 2013

THE FORECAST WEDNESDAY FOR THE DC METRO AREA IS CODE LEVEL
YELLOW...WHICH IS MODERATE...AND MEANS PEOPLE UNUSUALLY SENSITIVE
TO AIR POLLUTION MAY BE MILDLY AFFECTED.  PRIMARY POLLUTANT
WILL BE PARTICLES.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON GROUND-LEVEL OZONE AND FINE
PARTICLES...VISIT WWW.CLEANAIRPARTNERS.NET.

$$

MDZ005>007-010-011-014-222000-
CARROLL-NORTHERN BALTIMORE-HARFORD-HOWARD-SOUTHERN BALTIMORE-
ANNE ARUNDEL-
425 PM EDT TUE MAY 21 2013

THE FORECAST WEDNESDAY FOR THE BALTIMORE METRO AREA IS CODE LEVEL
YELLOW...WHICH IS MODERATE...AND MEANS PEOPLE UNUSUALLY SENSITIVE
TO AIR POLLUTION MAY BE MILDLY AFFECTED.  PRIMARY POLLUTANT
WILL BE PARTICLES.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON GROUND-LEVEL OZONE AND FINE
PARTICLES...VISIT WWW.MDE.STATE.MD.US/AIR...OR CALL THE MARYLAND
AIR QUALITY HOTLINE AT 410-537-3247.

$$

MDZ001-003-501-502-222000-
GARRETT-WASHINGTON-EXTREME WESTERN ALLEGANY-
CENTRAL AND EASTERN ALLEGANY-
425 PM EDT TUE MAY 21 2013

THE FORECAST WEDNESDAY FOR WESTERN MARYLAND IS CODE LEVEL
YELLOW...WHICH IS MODERATE...AND MEANS PEOPLE UNUSUALLY SENSITIVE
TO AIR POLLUTION MAY BE MILDLY AFFECTED.  PRIMARY POLLUTANT
WILL BE PARTICLES.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON GROUND-LEVEL OZONE AND FINE
PARTICLES...VISIT WWW.MDE.STATE.MD.US/AIR...OR CALL THE MARYLAND
AIR QUALITY HOTLINE AT 410-537-3247.

$$

VAZ028-WVZ052-053-222000-
FREDERICK VA-BERKELEY-JEFFERSON-
425 PM EDT TUE MAY 21 2013

THE FORECAST WEDNESDAY FOR EASTERN WEST VIRGINIA...AND FREDERICK
COUNTY VIRGINIA IS CODE LEVEL YELLOW...WHICH IS MODERATE...AND
MEANS PEOPLE UNUSUALLY SENSITIVE TO AIR POLLUTION MAY BE MILDLY
AFFECTED.  PRIMARY POLLUTANT WILL BE PARTICLES.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON GROUND-LEVEL OZONE AND FINE
PARTICLES...VISIT THE VIRGINIA D E Q AIR QUALITY WEB SITE AT
WWW.DEQ.VIRGINIA.GOV.

$$

Links

National Information: http://www.airnow.gov/

Regional Information: http://www.cleanairpartners.net/

Local Information:

• Maryland: http://www.mde.state.md.us/air/
• Virginia: http://www.deq.state.va.us/airquality/
• Metropolitan Washington: http://www.mwcog.org/environment/air/forecast/

Understanding the AQI
The purpose of the AQI is to help you understand what local air quality means to your health. To make it easier to understand, the AQI is divided into six categories:

Category	AQI	Color Code	Health Statements
Good	0 - 50	Green	Air quality is considered good, and air pollution poses little or no risk.
Moderate	51-100	Yellow	Air quality may pose a moderate health risk, especially for those who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	101-150	Orange	Members of sensitive groups, children and adults with respiratory and heart ailments, may experience health effects and should limit time spent outside. The general public is not likely to be affected.
Unhealthy	151 - 200	Red	Everyone may experience health effects and should limit their outdoor activity; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.
Very Unhealthy	201-300	Purple	Everyone may experience more serious health effects and should avoid outdoor activities, especially individuals with heart and breathing ailments, children, and older adults.
Hazardous	301-500	Maroon	Health warnings of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected.

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