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IDEM Predicting High Ozone Levels In Counties Across Indiana Friday

The state is predicting worse air quality on Friday for 36 Indiana counties, including Monroe and Bartholomew counties.

This means children, seniors, and anyone with a heart or lung condition should avoid strenuous work or outside exercise. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management says hot weather and pollution from things like cars and factories creates more ground-level ozone.

That can make it more difficult to breathe and cause coughing. People can help reduce ground-level ozone by walking, biking, or working from home.

If you do have to drive your car, IDEM says make fewer trips and turn off your engine if you're idling for more than 30 seconds. You can also set your thermostat to higher than 75 degrees. ​

Rebecca Thiele covers statewide environment and energy issues. Before coming to Bloomington, she worked for WMUK Radio in Kalamazoo, Michigan on the arts and environment beats. Thiele was born in St. Louis and is a proud graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism.