By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today
While many parts of the state have reported moderate air quality for ozone and particulate matter with air quality at 50 or more, an Air Quality Alert is in effect for Northern Kentucky until Midnight on Thursday due to hot conditions with little wind.
This is the first air quality alert this year for any part of Kentucky, and is limited to Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties, along with adjacent areas of Ohio and Indiana, according to the Southwest Ohio Air Quality Agency.
The agency says levels of ozone within the alert area region may approach or exceed unhealthy standards of 100, which makes going outside unsafe for sensitive groups.
Airnow.gov, a national air monitoring website, says the Louisville area is also expected to reach the unsafe for sensitive groups level of 100, but no alert has been issued for that part of the state.
On Alert days, the air monitoring agencies say you can help reduce ozone by taking the following actions:
• Carpool, if possible, bike, walk or take the bus instead of driving alone.
• Try to combine any needed driving into one trip.
• Refuel your vehicle after 8 pm.
• Do not idle your vehicle for longer than it takes for a traffic light to change to green, as exhaust contributes to air pollution.
• Mow your lawn in the evening hours and avoid the use of gas-powered lawn equipment.
Rainy, cooler and breezy conditions will help mitigate air pollution. It is not yet known if the elevated air quality conditions will continue, as Friday’s forecast has not yet been issued.