Air Quality Alert Issued Monday for Howard County, Region

The Maryland Department of the Environment has issued a Code Orange Air Quality alert, which means air pollution concentrations could be unhealthy for some.

The alert applies to the Baltimore metro region, including Howard County.

Sensitive groups to high air pollution levels include children, people suffering from asthma, heart disease, or other lung diseases, and the elderly, according to the National Weather Service, which recommends avoiding strenuous activity or exercising outdoors.

Local doctors and experts that running on days like today could have long-term health consequences, especially for those with underlying health problems like asthma or lung disease. For healthy individuals, it's less of a short-term issue.

According to the Clean Air Partners website, the air quality alerts put out through the Maryland Department of the Environment are measured by the Air Quality Index, which ranges from Code Green or “good,” with little or no risk, to Code Purple or “very unhealthy,” when more serious health effects could occur. Codes Orange and Red are both deemed “unhealthy” by the index.

The index measures five major pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act, including particulate matter, ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.

There has also been a hazardous weather outlook issued by the National Weather Service for the Baltimore/D.C. region.

Look out for scattered showers and thunderstorms after midnight tonight, with some heavy rainfall capable of producing flash floods as well as damaging wind gusts and large hail.