During the Ozone Season, May 1 – September 30, when the air quality level is forecast to be approaching the level of unhealthy for sensitive groups an air quality advisory is issued. If the air quality is forecast to exceed the 8-hour air quality standard, an Ozone Action Day bulletin is issued. The advisories and Action Day bulletins promotes the voluntary efforts we can all take to help reduced air pollution. When an Advisory Day or an Action Day is forecast there will be a posting on this web site to help inform the public. The Daily Air Quality Forecast - Lexington, Kentucky Lexington Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (LMPO) - Transportation Planning for Fayette and Jessamine Counties Date Type of Pollution Air Quality Index Status 5/8/2008 Ozone 38 Good 5/8/2008 Particulate Matter 42 Good 5/9/2008 Ozone 33 Good 5/9/2008 Particulate Matter 49 Good Forecast for the Weekend: Please click here to learn about the air pollution reduction and other environmental programs that help to protect the environment and the quality of life in the Lexington/Central Kentucky area. The warm months of the Ozone Season, May 1 - September 30 have the highest rates of ground level ozone air pollution. The warm temperatures heats up the emissions from vehicles, factories, power plants and other sources which can cause an increase in the air pollution. When the air pollution reaches a certain level we can have an exceedance (bad air day) of our air quality standard and we will call for an Ozone Action Day. During an Action Day the public is ask to take a number of voluntary measures to help reduce the air pollution in our area. An increase in air pollution can affect a number of people that have certain health conditions such as asthma, respiratory problems, heart conditions and other medical problems. By working together we can all help reduce the air pollution in Lexington and Central Kentucky.

The Ozone Scale & Air Quality Index (AQI) 0 - 50 Good 51 - 78 Moderate 79 - 100 Unhealthy / Sensitive Groups 101 - 150 Unhealthy Above 150 Very Unhealthy

An email announcing an Air Quality Action Day is sent to the media and local, state and federal government officials when the air quality level is forecast to reaches the level of unhealthy for sensitive groups which is an exceedance of the air quality standard. The Action Day bulletins are sent for both Ozone and PM air pollution. The Action Day bulletins promote the voluntary efforts we can all take to help reduced air pollution.  

The daily forecast is updated daily, May 1 – September 30, and can be found by visiting the Lexington Area MPO web site, the LFUCG Air Quality web site and the EPA AIRNOW web site. By the end of September 153 days of air quality season forecast had been completed.

During the 153 days of the 2007 Air Quality Season, there was one (1) exceedances of the Ozone air quality standard and seven (7) of the PM standard in the Lexington area. During the summer of 2007 there were a number of days during the Air Quality Season when the air temperature was over 90 and even 100 degrees. Hot, dry temperatures generate the weather conditions that produce exceedances of the air quality standard.

Considering, the record high temperatures in Central Kentucky having only one (1) exceedance of the Ozone air quality standard speaks well for the local and state wide Ozone air pollution reduction efforts. A contributing factor in the seven (7) exceedances of the PM standard is the fact that the pollution level for PM pollution has been lowered from .065 parts per billion (PPB) of concentration to .036 PPB. With this in mind, the MPO/Division of Planning staff must continue to work and promote programs and projects that reduce both Ozone and PM air pollution.

• GOOD OZONE is a naturally occurring gas that filters the harmful effects of the sun's ultraviolet radiation. It is found in the Stratosphere, many miles above Earth.
• BAD OZONE is man-made from emissions from automobiles, industrial sites, and other sources such as lawn mowers, and certain cleaning solutions.

• Automobile Exhaust
• Industrial Emissions

• It directly impacts our health, with a high risk to the elderly, young children, and people with asthma and other lung ailments.
• Healthy adults can be affected, too.
• An air pollution index over 100 can cause shortness of breath, chest pain in people with heart problems, and aggravate heart and lung disease.
• As the pollution index increases, so do the number of people affected.

• Citizens can help by conserving electricity, refueling vehicles after dark, and avoiding driving whenever possible.
• Take a bus, rideshare, ride a bike, walk, or at best - slow down. Driving at 55 instead of 65 reduces pollution by 10 percent!
• Besides vehicular restrictions, a major way to lower ozone is to limit the solar radiation by planting shade trees. Position trees to cover sidewalks, line streets and shade roof tops. Businesses can plant trees in parking lots.
• Make room for more garden areas in yards. The less grass means less lawn mowing and less need for emissions of lawn mowers.

• Traffic Information Network
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Jefferson Co. Air Pollution Control District
• KY Division for Air Quality
• Clean Cities Home Page
• Kentucky Business Environmental Assistance Program

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