As if the heat and humidity were not enough, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality in Raleigh has issued a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for ground level ozone, in effect from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. for our area.

Ground level ozone concentrations within the region may approach or exceed unhealthy standards. Children, active adults and those with heart or respiratory disease should limit outdoor activity.

In addition, it will be a Code Yellow day for particle pollution, meaning unusually sensitive people may be affected.

For a full explanation of the air quality, please visit the North Carolina Division of Air Quality Web site at www.ncair.org/airaware/forecast/.

We might see some patchy fog this morning, then it will be sunny and 94 with no wind. The lack of a breeze contributes to the poor air quality. Tonight will be partly cloudy and 72.

Friday will be mostly sunny, too, and even warmer, with a high of 96 and heat index values around 101. It will be another Code Orange air day, with Code Yellow for particle pollution. Calm wind will become southwest around 6 mph in the afternoon.

Friday night brings a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 9 p.m. The low will be 75, with light southwest wind.

And there’s no relief over the weekend, either, with a high Saturday of 96 again under mostly sunny skies. Again, it will be a Code Orange day for ozone, Code Yellow for particle pollution.

There is a 20 percent chance of showers and storms after noon. Southwest wind will be at 3-7 mph. The rain chance continues through 10 p.m., with a low of 75.

Sunday will be mostly sunny and 94, with a low of 74.

Monday brings a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, but it will be partly sunny and 92. The same chance of rain continues Monday night, with a low of 72.

Tuesday, we’ll drop a couple of degrees, to a high of 89 with partly sunny skies. There will be a 40 percent chance of rain Tuesday and Tuesday night, with a low of 70.

Expect partly sunny skies and a high of 87 Wednesday, with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms.