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... 08/17/2023 8:00 PM until 08/20/2023 12:00 AM

POLLUTANT...PM 2.5 particulates

AIR QUALITY INDEX...Moderate to Unhealthy

ADDITIONAL DETAILS...

An alert for possible Moderate (Air Quality Index yellow category)
to Unhealthy (Air Quality Index red category)due to smoke has been
issued for the following Nebraska counties: Boone, Burt, Butler,
Cass, Cedar, Colfax, Cuming, Dakota, Dixon, Dodge, Douglas, Gage,
Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Lancaster, Madison, Nance, Nemaha, Otoe,
Pawnee, Pierce, Platte, Polk, Richardson, Saline, Sarpy, Saunders,
Seward, Stanton, Thurston, Washington, Wayne, York, from August
17, 8:00 pm through August 20, 12:00 am.

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 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.

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.
Sensitive groups include people with heart or lung disease, older
adults, and children. When conditions rise to the red category,
everyone is advised to avoid prolonged or heavy exertion and those
in sensitive groups should consider moving activities indoors or
rescheduling.

Smoke from Canadian wildfires 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 http://dee.ne.gov/NDEQProg.nsf/OnWeb/AirSA-3

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.

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.

...EXCESSIVE HEAT WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
TUESDAY EVENING...

* WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions with heat index values up to
110 possible.

* WHERE...Portions of southwest and west central Iowa and east
central, northeast and southeast Nebraska.

* WHEN...From Saturday afternoon through Tuesday evening.

* IMPACTS...Extreme heat and humidity will significantly increase
the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those
working or participating in outdoor activities, and those
without air conditioning.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Near record to record heat is expected
across the region starting this weekend. Excessive heat may
persist for a week or more. Some notable records that may be
broken are in Lincoln on Saturday where the forecast high is 102
degrees and the current record is 100 degrees set in 1962, and
in Norfolk on Monday where the forecast high is 101 degrees and
the current records is 100 degrees set in 1914.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Monitor the latest forecasts and warnings for updates on this
situation. Be prepared to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-
conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives
and neighbors.

Young children and pets should never be left unattended in
vehicles under any circumstances. This is especially true during
warm or hot weather when car interiors can reach lethal
temperatures in a matter of minutes.

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