IDEM Forecasts Air Quality Action Days Throughout This Weekend for Parts of Indiana ·

Last Updated on July 17, 2026 by Cass County Communication Network

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has forecastAir Quality Action Days (AQADs) through Monday, July 20 for parts of Indiana.

Note: Today’s forecast has been updated.

For Friday, July 17:

Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) levels are now expected to be in the Very Unhealthy range (Purple); and
Ozone levels are expected to be in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range (Orange) in the following areas:
- Northwest Indiana, including the cities of: Crown Point, Gary, Hammond, Kentland, LaPorte, Michigan City, Portage, Rensselaer, Valparaiso and all other cities within the area.
- North Central Indiana, including the cities of: Elkhart, Goshen, Knox, Logansport, Plymouth, Peru, South Bend, Warsaw, Winamac and all other cities within the area.
- Northeast Indiana, including the cities of: Angola, Auburn, Decatur, Fort Wayne, Hartford, Huntington City, LaGrange, Marion, Portland, Wabash and all other cities within the area.
Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) levels are expected to be in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range (Orange) in the following areas:
- West Central Indiana, including the cities of: Crawfordsville, Covington, Delphi, Fowler, Greencastle, Lafayette, Newport, Monticello, Spencer, Sullivan, Terre Haute and all other cities within the area.
- Central/East Central Indiana, including the cities of: Bloomington, Brookville, Columbus, Frankfort, Indianapolis, Greensburg, Kokomo, Lebanon, Martinsville, Muncie, Richmond and all other cities within the area.

For Saturday, July 18:

Ozone levels are expected range from Good to Moderate throughout the state.
Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) levels are expected to be in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range (Orange) in the following areas:
- Northwest Indiana, including the cities of: Crown Point, Gary, Hammond, Kentland, LaPorte, Michigan City, Portage, Rensselaer, Valparaiso and all other cities within the area.
- North Central Indiana, including the cities of: Elkhart, Goshen, Knox, Logansport, Plymouth, Peru, South Bend, Warsaw, Winamac and all other cities within the area.
- Northeast Indiana, including the cities of: Angola, Auburn, Decatur, Fort Wayne, Hartford, Huntington City, LaGrange, Marion, Portland, Wabash and all other cities within the area.

For Sunday, July 19 and Monday, July 20:

Ozone levels are expected to be in the Good to Moderate range throughout the state.
Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) levels are expected to be in the Unhealthy range (Red) in the following areas:
- Northwest Indiana, including the cities of: Crown Point, Gary, Hammond, Kentland, LaPorte, Michigan City, Portage, Rensselaer, Valparaiso and all other cities within the area.
- North Central Indiana, including the cities of: Elkhart, Goshen, Knox, Logansport, Plymouth, Peru, South Bend, Warsaw, Winamac and all other cities within the area.
- Northeast Indiana, including the cities of: Angola, Auburn, Decatur, Fort Wayne, Hartford, Huntington City, LaGrange, Marion, Portland, Wabash and all other cities within the area.
Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) levels are expected to be in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range (Orange) in the following areas:
- West Central Indiana, including the cities of: Crawfordsville, Covington, Delphi, Fowler, Greencastle, Lafayette, Newport, Monticello, Spencer, Sullivan, Terre Haute and all other cities within the area.
- Central/East Central Indiana, including the cities of: Bloomington, Brookville, Columbus, Frankfort, Indianapolis, Greensburg, Kokomo, Lebanon, Martinsville, Muncie, Richmond and all other cities within the area.

Heavy smoke is lingering for the Northern half of Indiana currently divided by a stationary front. The front will lift north later Friday providing a brief break in levels before a system late Saturday will bring another round of smoke. High pressure in place Sunday and Monday will recirculate the smoke over most of the state with the primary concern remaining the northern half of Indiana. This smoke, in addition to the other meteorological factors such as light winds and predicted flow from the north, will produce high PM2.5 readings.

Hoosiers can visit SmogWatch.IN.gov to:

View air quality information for all Indiana counties, including a state map of affected counties;
Learn more about Air Quality Action Days and recommended actions;
Learn more about ozone and fine particulate matter; and
Sign up for air quality alerts.

Air Quality Action Days are in effect from midnight to 11:59 p.m. (24-hours) on the specified dates. Some municipalities have additional open burning restrictions on AQADs. For more information, go to idem.IN.gov/openburning/laws-and-rules.

Note: IDEM forecasts are based, solely or in part, on data from air quality monitors located throughout the state. IDEM encourages residents of counties within or bordering the affected region(s) to heed the forecast. Air quality information for all Indiana counties can be found at SmogWatch.IN.gov.

IDEM Air Quality Forecast for Ozone
July 17-July 20, 2026