Birmingham — A Code Orange Air Quality Alert has been issued for Jefferson and Shelby counties. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

If you’ve been looking for a reason to stay inside today, here’s your excuse: the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) and Jefferson County Department of Health (JCDP) have issued a Code Orange Air Quality Alert for Jefferson and Shelby counties for Wednesday, October 14.

What does a Code Orange Air Quality Alert mean?

In short, a Code Orange Air Quality Alert means that the air quality may reach unhealthy levels for sensitive groups, including:

Children and teens
Older adults
People who are routinely active outdoors for six or more hours a day
Individuals with respiratory conditions like asthma, lung disease or heart disease

Air quality forecasts are issued every single day of the year for the Birmingham area, based on the Air Quality Index (AQI)—a color-coded scale that determines how clean or polluted the air is.

An Air Quality Alert is issued with the AQI is forecast to reach 101 or higher.

According to AirNow.gov—the official U.S. government website that reports real-time air quality and local forecasts—the AQI for Birmingham is forecast to be 105. AirNow states that the “dry, stagnant, and abnormally hot conditions are expected to push ozone concentrations into the orange (unhealthy for sensitive groups) range of the AQI, which will trigger the issuance of an Air Quality Alert.”

How will a Code Orange Air Quality Alert affect my day?

When the AQI exceeds 101, people in sensitive groups should reduce their time spent outside and avoid strenuous outdoor activities.

If you really want to get outside today, don’t fret. According to AirNow.gov, ozone is often lower in the mornings and there may be times during the day when air quality is fine for outdoor activities—even if the forecast is Orange. Consult the current air quality for Birmingham to see if it’s a good time to be outdoors.

According to the Alabama Partners for Clean Air, there are several actions (and inactions) you can take to cut back on pollution: