INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) is introducing a new air quality notification, a Local Air Quality Advisory (LAQA), to alert residents of short-term conditions that can become unhealthy for several hours but may not meet the criteria to forecast an Air Quality Action Day (AQAD).
LAQAs will supplement, not replace, IDEM’s long running Air Quality Action Day (AQAD) program. The agency will still issue Air Quality Action Day (AQAD) forecast notifications when fine particulate matter (PM2.5) or ozone levels are expected to reach unhealthy levels throughout the day.
Local Air Quality Advisories will help the public better understand and respond to short-term increases in PM2.5, particularly during overnight or early morning periods when pollution can temporarily reach levels unhealthy for sensitive groups due to weather or other conditions.
PM2.5 is made of microscopic particles that can enter deep into the lungs. Sensitive groups may be affected even during short-term spikes. Those at higher risk include children, older adults, and individuals with lung conditions.
Forecasted Air Quality Index (AQI) values are expected to exceed 100 for several hours, but not all day.