The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) is introducing a new Local Air Quality Advisory (LAQA) notification, to alert residents of short-term conditions that can become unhealthy for several hours but may not meet the criteria to forecast an Air Quality Action Day (AQAD).
LAQAs will supplement, but not replace, IDEM’s long running Air Quality Action Day (AQAD) program. The agency will still issue Air Quality Action Day (AQAD) forecast notifications when fine particulate matter (PM2.5) or ozone levels are expected to reach unhealthy levels throughout the day.
Local Air Quality Advisories will help the public better understand and respond to short-term increases in PM2.5, particularly during overnight or early morning periods when pollution can temporarily reach unhealthy levels for sensitive groups due to weather or other conditions.
PM2.5 is made of microscopic particles that can enter deep into the lungs, and sensitive groups may be affected by them even during short-term spikes. Those at higher risk include:
- Children
- Older adults
- Individuals with heart or lung conditions
Conditions that lend themselves to LAQAs include:
- Overnight temperature inversions that trap air/pollutants near the ground
- Low wind speeds and stagnant air
- Accumulation of smoke or PM2.5 from fireworks, leaf burning, or other sources
- Forecasted Air Quality Index (AQI) values are expected to exceed 100 for several hours, but not all day
The IDEM encourages all Hoosiers to follow real‑time forecasts and receive notifications automatically by:
- Visiting in.gov/idem/airmonitoring/smogwatch/ for the latest data from air monitors throughout the state, regional forecasts, and active alerts.
- Subscribing to receive email or SMS alerts whenever IDEM issues a Local Air Quality Advisory or an Air Quality Action Day at cloud.subscription.in.gov/signup?depid=546006747. Subscribers will receive notice when SmogWatch.IN.gov has been updated to reflect LAQAs.
