An air quality warning has been issued for parts of the state’s coast and some areas of central Maine due to high concentrations of ozone expected to settle into the areas on Sunday.
Dangerously high ozone concentrations are expected in southern New England on Saturday that are likely to travel up Maine’s coast from Kittery to Acadia on Sunday. Lesser concentrations of ozone are expected to make their way to the Down East region, interior eastern Maine and interior western Maine, according to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.
Higher concentrations of ozone can cause children, adults performing difficult tasks and those with respiratory affective issues to experience shortness of breath and some lung or throat irritation, as well as an uncomfortable tight sensation in their chest, according to DEP officials.
It is recommended to limit strenuous activities as much as possible when ozone concentrations are high, specifically in the afternoon, and to take ample breaks to take a breather.
More information is available online at the websites of DEP, the federal Environmental Protection Agency, and the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.