Milwaukee’s air quality is moderately poor this week due to wind patterns carrying air pollution up Lake Michigan.

As of 12 p.m. Monday, Feb. 16, the Air Quality Index in Milwaukee was 62, which falls in the “moderate” category, indicating some risk for those who are unusually sensitive to air pollution, according to AirNow.gov.

Brown, Dodge, Kenosha, Outagamie and Waukesha counties are also experiencing moderate air quality, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. However, no part of the state has air pollution severe enough to warrant an official DNR alert.

The primary pollutant in Milwaukee on Monday was PM2.5, which can be caused by wildfire smoke, vehicles and power plants, among other sources, according to Milwaukee/Sullivan National Weather Service meteorologist Taylor Patterson. While wildfires in Canada have blanketed Wisconsin with high levels of PM2.5 in the past, this week’s poor air quality is likely due to southerly winds carrying industrial pollution from Chicago and Gary, Indiana to Milwaukee.

“That’s why all the areas along Lake Michigan are seeing the air quality issues,” Patterson said.

The PM2.5 pollution is forecast to linger over Milwaukee until Wednesday, Feb. 18, according to AirNow.gov.

“It’s likely we’ll see these conditions persist until we see our winds shifting to northerly,” Patterson said. “The Milwaukee area doesn’t see a return of west or northerly winds until later in the week.”

Here’s what else to know about the air quality in Milwaukee this week:

Is the air quality in Milwaukee unsafe today?

An AQI between 51 to 100 is “acceptable” for most groups, but may carry risk for those are particularly sensitive to air pollution, per AirNow.gov.

For sensitive groups, Wisconsin DNR recommends keeping outdoor activities light and short, and going back inside if you start to experience any symptoms. For the general population, the DNR says it’s alright to open windows and go outdoors if you don’t see or smell any smoke.

Sensitive groups can include people who have heart or lung conditions, people who have diabetes, older adults and children, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“Today wouldn’t be the day to start any huge outdoor projects if you have any of those conditions,” Patterson said.

How to check the air quality in your area

See the live map below to track air quality in your area. Green indicates good air quality, yellow is moderate and orange is unhealthy for sensitive groups.

The DNR also has interactive air quality maps, which show the AQI and any active alerts or advisories by county. You can view them on the department’s website, or you can type your ZIP code into the AirNow.gov website to view air quality in your area.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Pollution from Chicago area bumps Milwaukee’s air quality down to moderate

Reporting by Maia Pandey, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

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