MEMPHIS, TN — A Code Orange ozone forecast is in effect for the Memphis region on Tuesday, with health officials warning that air quality may reach levels considered unhealthy for sensitive groups. The alert covers Shelby County in Tennessee, Crittenden County in Arkansas, and DeSoto County in Mississippi, including the city of Memphis.
The Shelby County Health Department said forecasted ozone values are expected to rise above the Environmental Protection Agency’s federal safe health standard. Officials are urging people who are more vulnerable to take extra precautions and pay close attention to air quality updates as conditions change through the evening and into Tuesday.
What the alert means
According to the health department, a Code Orange ozone forecast signals air pollution levels that can affect sensitive groups more than the general public. Those groups include active children and adults, along with people who have respiratory conditions such as asthma.
Officials recommend limiting prolonged outdoor exertion during the alert period. That means reducing long workouts, outdoor labor, and other activities that keep people breathing hard for extended stretches.
The department also says residents should keep checking the latest air quality forecasts and updates until monitored values return to safe levels. AirNow is listed as a public place to follow current air quality information.
Who should be most careful
The warning is aimed especially at people whose lungs or airways may already be stressed by pollution. That includes children who are active outdoors, adults who exercise outside, and anyone living with asthma or another respiratory disease.
For those residents, even a short increase in ozone can make outdoor activity less comfortable or more risky. Health officials did not describe emergency conditions, but they did say the forecasted ozone values are expected to exceed the EPA’s standard for safe health.
Because the alert spans three counties and crosses state lines, the advisory affects a broad part of the Mid-South around Memphis rather than a single neighborhood or city block.
What to expect next
The forecast is tied to Tuesday, and the health department’s guidance suggests the concern is focused on that day’s ozone conditions rather than a longer-term emergency. Residents should watch for updates before spending long periods outside, especially if they fall into a sensitive group.
Officials have not said exactly how high ozone levels may climb, only that the forecasted values are expected to be unhealthy for sensitive groups. They are also not describing a severe weather event here; this is an air quality alert, not a storm warning.
Anyone seeking more information can check air quality updates through AirNow while monitoring local advisories from the Shelby County Health Department.
When the weather turns dangerous, SVH Snow is watching.
