INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has forecast an Air Quality Action Day (AQAD) for tomorrow, Wednesday, July 8, 2026, in Northwest Indiana.
Ozone levels are expected to be in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range (Orange) in the following areas:
Northwest Indiana, including the cities of: Crown Point, Gary, Hammond, Kentland, LaPorte, Michigan City, Portage, Rensselaer, Valparaiso and all other cities within the area.
Warm temperatures, mostly sunny skies, and light and varied winds coming off of Lake Michigan are expected to contribute to elevated ozone levels, which are forecast to reach the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (USG) in the Northwest Region.
Hoosiers can visit SmogWatch.IN.gov to:
View air quality information for all Indiana counties, including a state map of affected counties;
Learn more about Air Quality Action Days and recommended actions;
Learn more about ozone and fine particulate matter; and
Sign up for air quality alerts.
Air Quality Action Days are in effect from midnight to 11:59 p.m. (24-hours) on the specified date. Some municipalities have additional open burning restrictions on AQADs. For more information, go to idem.IN.gov/openburning/laws-and-rules.
