An air quality alert was in effect through Wednesday night for Chicago’s greater metropolitan area following a day of fireworks and grilling for the Fourth of July holiday.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency declared an air pollution action day on Wednesday for the 13th time in 2023, after ozone and particulate levels registered as unhealthy for those with respiratory and pulmonary conditions. Residents in sensitive groups should limit prolonged outdoor activity, officials warned.
Residents of Chicago and surrounding areas are asked to reduced pollution levels by finding cleaner ways of transportation, including reducing the number of vehicles on the roadways, conserving energy use at home and reducing the release of any smoke into the air.
Officials said a 70% chance of scattered thunderstorms is possible Wednesday afternoon due to a cold front moving into the area and a few strong-to-severe storms are possible with damaging wind gusts. Warm and humid conditions are expected before the storms, National Weather Service officials said.
[ World swelters to unofficial hottest day on record Monday then gets even hotter Tuesday ]
Temperatures are expected to reach the upper 80s and low 90s with an afternoon heat index in the mid-90s.
There also was a risk of limited flooding for portions of the area, officials said.
Morning conditions at Chicago’s airports was partly cloudy and 83 degrees.
