The Shelby County Health Department, serving parts of Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi, has issued a Code Orange Ozone Forecast for the region that includes Memphis. According to the NWS Air Quality Alert, this alert comes as ozone levels are expected to reach unhealthy thresholds for sensitive groups today. The announcement highlights the need for individuals with respiratory conditions, as well as active children and adults, to limit prolonged outdoor activities.
The Shelby County Health Department has issued a Code Orange for today, as high ozone values could cause issues for sensitive groups. Please see https://t.co/CrlCvewtzE for additional information. #tnwx #mswx #arwx #midsouthwx pic.twitter.com/h4JSe2S0cw
— NWS Memphis (@NWSMemphis) August 25, 2024
The health alert specifically targets Shelby County in Tennessee, Crittenden County in Arkansas, and DeSoto County in Mississippi. The Health Department aims to ensure public safety as ozone values forecasted for today are projected to exceed the Environmental Protection Agency's federal safe health standards. In response to these conditions, the Health Department recommends that "sensitive groups which include active children and adults, and sensitive groups which include active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, limit prolonged outdoor exertion," as stated by the NWS Air Quality Alert.
Memphis's weather outlook, courtesy of the National Weather Service, otherwise suggests sunny skies with temperature highs soaring into the mid-nineties this week, providing further caution for outdoor activities amid the heat. With a steady pattern of clear nights and hot days, the high ozone levels are likely to persist in the short term.
Moreover, further projections show there's a chance of rising air quality concerns later in the week with a 30 percent possibility of showers and thunderstorms, as per the National Weather Service.
