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Feel Like The Air Is Slowly Killing You? The Pollution IS Pretty Bad Today

 Air pollution.
Air pollution.
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CHICAGO — Feeling rough today? It could be the air. 

The Environmental Protection Agency calls for Action Days when air quality becomes unhealthy, said AccuWeather meteorologist Rich Jaworski. The agency uses a range of 0-500 to measure air quality, with anything over 100 entering the "unhealthy" area. The air quality becomes more unhealthy as the index number rises.

On Wednesday, Chicago's air quality index was at 172 at 3 p.m., according to AirNow. That means everyone — especially children and people with lung diseases — "should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors," according to AirNow.

The major pollutant for the day was ozone, Jaworski said, but weather played a significant role in the poor air quality: It was a warm, sunny day, and there was little wind.

"Without any wind to really maneuver anything, the pollutants are just kind of sitting around ... accumulating," Jaworski said. "And it's very warm out, and days that are warm and see some sunshine, that can lead to higher levels of ozone ... ."

Jaworski said that air quality was probably in the 101-150 range throughout the entire city and that the higher air quality index was more localized. That lower range is just unhealthy for sensitive groups, like those with respiratory illnesses, rather than the general population.

Air quality was expected to improve for Thursday, Jaworski said. Rain showers like those expected to hit typically "clear out the air a bit."

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