Code Orange Air Quality Alert Issued for Raleigh Area Through 8 PM
A Code Orange ozone alert is in effect for the Raleigh area through 8 p.m. — here’s what it means for your health and outdoor plans this Fourth of July weekend.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA — The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality issued a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for ground-level ozone in the Raleigh region on Thursday, with the alert in effect until 8 p.m. EDT.
The National Weather Service in Raleigh issued the alert at 7:48 a.m. EDT on July 3, 2026, warning that ozone concentrations in the area may approach or exceed levels considered unhealthy for sensitive groups.
What Code Orange Means
A Code Orange Air Quality Action Day indicates that ground-level ozone concentrations within the affected region may approach or exceed unhealthy standards set by federal air quality guidelines. This designation signals elevated risk, particularly for children, older adults, and people with respiratory conditions such as asthma.
Ground-level ozone forms when pollutants emitted by vehicles, power plants, and industrial facilities react chemically in sunlight. Hot, sunny summer days like those typical of early July in North Carolina can accelerate that process.
What Residents Should Do
Health officials generally advise sensitive groups to limit prolonged outdoor activity during Code Orange days, particularly during afternoon hours when ozone levels tend to peak. Residents with heart or lung conditions, as well as children and elderly individuals, are encouraged to take extra precautions.
Those not in a sensitive group may still experience symptoms such as throat irritation or difficulty breathing during periods of elevated ozone. Officials recommend rescheduling strenuous outdoor exercise to the morning hours or moving activity indoors when possible.
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality also encourages residents to take steps that reduce ozone-forming emissions, such as avoiding refueling vehicles during the hottest part of the day and limiting the use of gas-powered lawn equipment.
Where to Find More Information
More information on air quality conditions in North Carolina is available through the North Carolina Division of Air Quality website at airquality.climate.ncsu.edu, according to the National Weather Service alert.
The alert covers the Raleigh area and is set to expire at 8 p.m. EDT on July 3, 2026. Residents are advised to monitor updated forecasts throughout the day as conditions may change.
