CODE ORANGE: Air quality alert in effect for much of south-central Pennsylvania
GOOD MORNING. WILL THE CLOUDS HAVE GONE YESTERDAY AND WE ONLY GOT TO THE UPPER 30S FOR OUR HIGHS. BUT TODAY TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE WARMER. WE HAVE HIGH PRESSURE TO OUR SOUTH, GIVING US RELATIVELY CALM OR LIGHT WINDS THIS MORNING. THAT’S LOCKING IN THAT LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND SOME FOG. SO WATCH OUT FOR SOME FOG AS YOU TRAVEL AROUND THIS MORNING. IT COULD BE LOCALLY DENSE IN A FEW AREAS, BUT RIGHT NOW I’M SEEING A LITTLE MISS, A LITTLE DRIZZLE, AND A BIT OF FOG. TEMPERATURES ARE ABOVE FREEZING THAT’S THE GOOD NEWS. AND THE VISIBILITY COMES IN. IT GOES. SOMETIMES IT’S A LITTLE BIT LOWER, LIKE A QUARTER MILE RIGHT NOW IN CHAMBERSBURG, BUT THEN SOMETIMES IT IMPROVES LIKE THREE MILES IN HARRISBURG. ONLY A HALF MILE IS HOW FAR YOU CAN SEE IN FRONT OF YOU IN LEBANON COUNTY. IN ADDITION, BECAUSE THE AIR IS KIND OF STAGNANT OUT THERE, WE DON’T HAVE MUCH WIND AND THERE’S A LITTLE LAYER OF COLD AIR AT THE SURFACE. WITH WARMER AIR ABOVE. WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE AIR QUALITY ALERTS. SO THIS MEANS CHILDREN, THE ELDERLY, FOLKS WITH HEART OR RESPIRATORY CONDITIONS MIGHT WANT TO LIMIT ANY STRENUOUS ACTIVITY OUTDOORS. THE POLLUTANTS GET TRAPPED RIGHT AROUND THE SURFACE. WIND SPEEDS TODAY SHOULD BE RELATIVELY LIGHT, JUST ABOUT FIVE MILES PER HOUR THROUGHOUT THE DAY, AND THEY’LL BE COMING OUT OF THE WEST, WHICH IS TYPICALLY A WARMER WIND FOR US FOR THE MORNING. JUST WATCH OUT FOR THOSE AREAS OF FOG. SOME DRIZZLE, SOME MIST, THE AFTERNOON CLOUDS AND PEEKS OF SUN, AND THEN MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES THIS EVENING. I THINK WE TAKE A R
CODE ORANGE: Air quality alert in effect for much of south-central Pennsylvania
Updated: 5:45 AM EST Feb 17, 2026
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued a code orange air quality alert for parts of the Susquehanna Valley. The alert is in effect for Tuesday for the following counties:Cumberland CountyDauphin CountyLancaster CountyLebanon CountyYork CountyWhat ‘Code Orange’ meansAir pollution levels may be unhealthy for sensitive groups, including:ChildrenOlder adultsPeople with asthmaPeople with heart disease or other lung diseasesFine particle pollution levels increaseAccording to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, fine particle pollution levels increased overnight and will continue to rise during the day today.The WGAL News 8 Storm Team explains that cold, dense air lies near the ground while warmer air sits above, creating an inversion that acts like a “lid” on the atmosphere. This traps particle pollutants like wood smoke and car exhaust near the surface. With little wind to mix the atmosphere, pollutant concentrations increase. Safety precautionsLimit strenuous outdoor activity. Reduce outdoor exercise. Sensitive groups should monitor how long spent outdoors and take breaks as needed. Click here to check your local air quality. SOUTH-CENTRAL PA WEATHER RESOURCES: INTERACTIVE RADAR | ACTIVE WEATHER ALERTS | CURRENT CONDITIONS | HOURLY FORECAST | 10-DAY FORECAST | WEEKEND FORECAST | MAP ROOM | DOWNLOAD THE APP | WEATHER EMAILS
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued a code orange air quality alert for parts of the Susquehanna Valley.
The alert is in effect for Tuesday for the following counties:
Cumberland CountyDauphin CountyLancaster CountyLebanon CountyYork County
What ‘Code Orange’ means
Air pollution levels may be unhealthy for sensitive groups, including:
ChildrenOlder adultsPeople with asthmaPeople with heart disease or other lung diseases
Fine particle pollution levels increase
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, fine particle pollution levels increased overnight and will continue to rise during the day today.
The WGAL News 8 Storm Team explains that cold, dense air lies near the ground while warmer air sits above, creating an inversion that acts like a “lid” on the atmosphere. This traps particle pollutants like wood smoke and car exhaust near the surface. With little wind to mix the atmosphere, pollutant concentrations increase.
Safety precautionsLimit strenuous outdoor activity. Reduce outdoor exercise. Sensitive groups should monitor how long spent outdoors and take breaks as needed.
Click here to check your local air quality.
SOUTH-CENTRAL PA WEATHER RESOURCES: INTERACTIVE RADAR | ACTIVE WEATHER ALERTS | CURRENT CONDITIONS | HOURLY FORECAST | 10-DAY FORECAST | WEEKEND FORECAST | MAP ROOM | DOWNLOAD THE APP | WEATHER EMAILS