Air Quality Alert issued April 15 at 1:59PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE

The following is transmitted in collaboration with the Nebraska
Department of Health and Human Services and the Nebraska
Department of Environment and Energy…

WHAT…Air Quality Alert

WHERE…Eastern Nebraska

WHEN…Tonight at 9:00 PM until Wednesday at 10:00 AM

POLLUTANT…PM 2.5 particulates

AIR QUALITY INDEX…Moderate to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups

ADDITIONAL DETAILS…

An alert for possible Moderate (Air Quality Index yellow category)
to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (Air Quality Index orange
category) due to smoke has been issued for the following
Nebraska counties: Antelope, Boone, Burt, Butler, Cass, Cedar,
Clay, Colfax, Cuming, Dakota, Dixon, Dodge, Douglas, Fillmore,
Gage, Hamilton, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Lancaster, Madison,
Merrick, Nance, Nemaha, Nuckolls, Otoe, Pawnee, Pierce, Platte,
Polk, Richardson, Saline, Sarpy, Saunders, Seward, Stanton,
Thayer, Thurston, Washington, Wayne, York, from April 15, 9:00 pm
through April 16, 10:00 am.

During Moderate AQI (yellow category) conditions, those who are
unusually sensitive to particle pollution may experience health
effects. When conditions rise to the yellow category, those who
are unusually sensitive are advised to consider shortening outdoor
activities and reducing the intensity of these activities.
Symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath are signs to take
it easier.

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

Smoke from Prescribed burning in the central plains may affect the
air quality in Nebraska. Smoke levels and wind directions are
monitored by Nebraska and other states to predict when impacts to
the air quality may occur.

Information regarding wildfires and Impacts in Nebraska is
available from the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy
(NDEE) at https://dee.nebraska.gov/air/smoke-awareness-nebraska.

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

Advisories for smoke and air quality are issued for affected areas
by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and
Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) 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.