COLUMBUS — The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) is issuing Air Quality Alerts for today. The region — Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Knox, Madison and Licking counties — is likely to experience ozone pollution levels that are unhealthy for sensitive groups on the national Air Quality Index scale.

The forecast for today is 110 AQI.

Today marks the seventh Air Quality Alert day of the year and Saturday will bring the total alerts to eight for the year.

An upper-level ridge of high pressure building over the eastern Great Lakes will reduce vertical mixing in the atmosphere and produce sunny skies and temperatures in the low-90s. These conditions will enhance the formation of ground-level ozone. In addition, light winds will limit pollutant dispersion in central Ohio. Ground-level ozone pollution is a colorless, odorless gas produced when emissions from cars, lawn equipment and industry react together in the presence of sunlight.

MORPC uses the national AQI scale to inform the public about daily ozone and particle pollution levels in central Ohio. The AQI scale runs from 0 to 300 — the higher the AQI value, the greater the health concern. When levels reach above 100, air quality is considered to be unhealthy for sensitive groups, which includes people with respiratory and heart disease, children and older adults. MORPC issues an AQA to the public when pollution levels reach 101 or higher.

People with asthma are more likely to suffer an increase in the number and severity of symptoms during an AQA.

To decrease the potential for health implications, sensitive groups are urged to limit prolonged outdoor exertion.