Air-quality alert issued for LI

Environmental officials have issued an air-quality alert for Nassau and Suffolk counties from noon to midnight Saturday.

Outdoor air pollution levels are predicted to be elevated during that time.

The state health department recommends residents limit strenuous physical activity outside. Very young children and people with pre-existing health conditions, such as asthma and heart disease, are at greatest risk.

The alerts are issued when the air quality index, or AQI, is expected to be greater than 100. The AQI was created as an easy way to correlate levels of different pollutants to one scale.

Temperatures are expected to be in the mid to upper 80s across Long Island on Saturday with partly to mostly cloudy conditions. Beginning at 8 p.m. the chance of rain increases, said Lauren Nash, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Upton.

There's a moderate chance of rip currents forming, so those heading to the water should be cautious and swim in areas with lifeguards, she said.

"It should be a decent beach day as long as you are aware," said Nash.

Temperatures this weekend, however, are predicted no where near the record high temperature of 94 degrees, hit in July 1997 at Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma.

The heat is expected to return early next week with temperature in the low 90s, Nash said.