BE AIR AWARE. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS
DESIGNATED MAY 2 THROUGH MAY 6 AS THE ANNUAL NATIONAL AIR
QUALITY AWARENESS WEEK. LOW QUALITY AIR CAN BE DETRIMENTAL
TO YOUR HEALTH AND WELL BEING WHEN BREATHED. SO BEING
INFORMED OF THE PRESENCE OF LOW QUALITY AIR ALLOWS ONE TO
TAKE PROPER PRECAUTIONS AND INCLUDE PREVENTIVE MEASURES IN
THEIR DAILY ACTIVITIES. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS
PARTNERED WITH THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
TO KEEP YOU INFORMED OF THE PRESENCE OF POLLUTION...OZONE...OR
PARTICULATE MATTER IN THE AIR SURROUNDING YOU. OUR NWS AIR
QUALITY PROGRAM GOAL IS TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AIR QUALITY
FORECASTS WITH ENOUGH ACCURACY AND ADVANCE NOTICE SO YOU
CAN MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS DURING YOUR DAILY ACTIVITIES WHICH
CAN PREVENT OR REDUCE ADVERSE EFFECTS. IN THE EVENT OF LOW
QUALITY AIR WITHIN OUR AREA...AN AIR QUALITY ACTION DAY WILL BE
ISSUED BY THE ILLINOIS EPA...WWW.EPA.STATE.IL.US...AND...OR THE
INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT...WWW.IN.GOV/IDEM...
WHICH WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE PUBLIC BY THE CHICAGO NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE. EACH DAY OF AIR QUALITY
AWARENESS WEEK WILL FEATURE A UNIQUE TOPIC RELEVANT TO EDUCATION AND
PREPAREDNESS.

TODAY WE HIGHLIGHT THE TOOLS AVAILABLE TO HELP YOU GET AIR QUALITY
INFORMATION.

OVER THE PAST DECADE...MORE STATE AND LOCAL AGENCIES HAVE BEGUN AIR
QUALITY FORECASTING FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES. TODAY MORE THAN 300
CITIES NATIONWIDE ARE ISSUING AIR QUALITY FORECASTS BASED ON
PREDICTED CONCENTRATIONS OF KNOWN POLLUTANTS SUCH AS OZONE AND
PARTICLE POLLUTION.

FOR THOSE LOCALITIES FORECASTING AIR QUALITY...NOAA FORECAST
GUIDANCE IS IMPROVING STATE AND LOCAL AGENCY FORECASTERS ABILITY TO
PREDICT THE ONSET...SEVERITY...AND DURATION OF POOR AIR QUALITY. IN
ADDITION...NOAA PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE AIR QUALITY PREDICTIONS ON
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/AQ...WITH HOUR BY HOUR INFORMATION ABOUT OZONE AND
SMOKE FOR CITIES...SUBURBS...AND RURAL COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE
NATION. THAT WEB SITE AGAIN IS WWW.WEATHER.GOV/AQ.

FOR UP TO DATE AIR QUALITY INFORMATION...THE EPA ENVIROFLASH TOOL
PROVIDES AIR QUALITY FORECASTS AND ACTION DAY NOTIFICATIONS FOR
PARTICIPATING COMMUNITIES VIA EMAIL OR PAGER NOTIFICATION.
ENVIROFLASH PROVIDES INSTANT INFORMATION THAT CAN BE CUSTOMIZED FOR
EACH USERS NEEDS.

TOMORROW WE WILL LEARN ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN DO TO MAKE THE AIR CLEANER.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON AIR QUALITY AWARENESS WEEK...VISIT US ON THE
WORLD WIDE WEB AT WWW.AIRQUALITY.NOAA.GOV.