WHAT...Air Quality Alert

WHERE...DESCRIPTION OF GENERAL REGION - Nebraska-statewide

WHEN... 5/18/2023 9:30 AM until 5/19/2023 12:00 PM

POLLUTANT...PM 2.5 particulates

AIR QUALITY INDEX...Moderate to Unhealthy

ADDITIONAL DETAILS...

An alert for possible Moderate to Unhealthy air quality (Air
Quality Index yellow/orange/red category) due to smoke has been
issued for the entire state of Nebraska, which includes the
following counties: Adams, Antelope, Arthur, Banner, Blaine,
Boone, Box Butte, Boyd, Brown, Buffalo, Burt, Butler, Cass, Cedar,
Chase, Cherry, Cheyenne, Clay, Colfax, Cuming, Custer, Dakota,
Dawes, Dawson, Deuel, Dixon, Dodge, Douglas, Dundy, Fillmore,
Franklin, Frontier, Furnas, Gage, Garden, Garfield, Gosper, Grant,
Greeley, Hall, Hamilton, Harlan, Hayes, Hitchcock, Holt, Hooker,
Howard, Jefferson, Johnson, Kearney, Keith, Keya Paha, Kimball,
Knox, Lancaster, Lincoln, Logan, Loup, Madison, McPherson,
Merrick, Morrill, Nance, Nemaha, Nuckolls, Otoe, Pawnee, Perkins,
Phelps, Pierce, Platte, Polk, Red Willow, Richardson, Rock,
Saline, Sarpy, Saunders, Scotts Bluff, Seward, Sheridan, Sherman,
Sioux, Stanton, Thayer, Thomas, Thurston, Valley, Washington,
Wayne, Webster, Wheeler, York, from May 18, 9:30am through May 19,
12:00 pm.

Smoke from fires in Canada is expected to impact air quality
conditions in Nebraska.

During Moderate (AQI yellow category) conditions, those who are
unusually sensitive to particle pollution should consider reducing
prolonged or heavy exertion.

During Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (AQI orange category)
conditions, members of sensitive groups are advised to reduce
prolonged or heavy exertion and avoid intense outdoor activities.
Sensitive groups include people with heart or lung disease, older
adults, and children.

During Unhealthy (AQI red category) conditions, some members of
the general public may experience health effects and members of
sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects. All
are advised to avoid prolonged or heavy exertion and consider
moving activities indoors or rescheduling.

Smoke levels and wind directions are monitored by Nebraska and
other states to predict when impacts to the air quality may occur.

Air Quality alerts for smoke are issued for affected areas by the
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and Department of
Environment and Energy and posted on agency webpages and social
media sites.  By notifying the media and local health departments,
alerts help citizens protect their health by informing them of
days where outdoor activities should be reduced or avoided to
minimize exposure to smoke.

Alerts are based on data available from weather forecasts, smoke
plume modeling, satellite imagery, and from air quality monitors
located in Omaha, Bellevue, Lincoln, Beatrice, Grand Island, and
Scottsbluff.