AccuWeather.com

With tar balls traveling towards Gulf and Florida Panhandle beaches, another concern resulting from the oil slick is air quality, which could decrease with this latest onset of heat.

According to AccuWeather.com meteorologists, at least another week of extreme heat and little wind relief will unfold across Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Odors resulting from the Gulf oil spill will be more inclined to linger upon coastal communities and gradually drift inland. Air quality indices have the potential to become lowered.

High temperatures over the next week will be in the mid-90s for the spill region, and dew points in the 70s will keep low temperatures in the mid- to upper 70s.

"The hottest, most humid days in New York City during the summer is what it's feeling like for people in the Gulf right now," said AccuWeather.com Expert Senior Meteorologist Henry Margusity.

The calm waters, oppressive humidity and lack of winds are creating stagnant conditions for prevailing oil spill odors. Residents in the Gulf coastal communities should avoid prolonged contact with any odors associated with the spill.

Those working to perform recovery efforts along the coast should break often and keep hydrated. A danger of heat stroke exists for workers wearing protective suits to prevent any skin contact with oil. Workers should unzip protective suits regularly while taking breaks from the heat.

As of the latest air monitoring along the Gulf coastline conducted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), air quality levels for ozone particulates are normal for this time of year.

The EPA reported on its website of "odor-causing pollutants associated with petroleum products along the coast at low levels."

People living and working along the Gulf coast and noticing a 'tar-like' or 'gas-station-like' odor, should head indoors as short-term health effects such as eye, nose or throat irritation, along with nausea and headache could result.

If possible, air conditioners should be placed on recirculation mode to avoid new air entering the system.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are the key toxic matters found in oil that can cause the short-term health affects mentioned above. However, experts suggest VOCs present in oil evaporate very quickly when reaching the surface of water, drastically reducing the potential for long-term health effects.

Swimmers should follow health advisories listed along area beaches and avoid oil-infused water. Irritation can result from oil coming into contact with skin, and swallowing oily water can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Upcoming Weather Conditions

Warm, humid weather will persist across the Gulf Coast region this upcoming week. Winds are expected to be light and variable through Monday before becoming oriented out of the south Tuesday into the middle of the week. This shift to southerly winds will increase the threat of tar balls showing up along Florida Panhandle beaches.

Seas will be calm, averaging between 1 and 2 feet much of the week.

What's the Probability of Tar Balls Impacting Your Coastal Spot?

Below is a table that provides the probability of oil reaching specific locations. We will continue to make updates to the table as weather conditions and oil containment efforts develop.

What do the probabilities mean?

For example, at Galveston Island during the next 30 days, there is a 5% chance of oil impacting coastal areas within that time period.

Over the next 120 days, there is a 15% chance of impact.

Please note, while the probabilities do take into account the AccuWeather.com Hurricane Forecast, the probabilities can change dramatically based on the strength and path of a hurricane moving through the Gulf of Mexico.

Content contributed by AccuWeather.com Expert Senior Meteorologist Henry Margusity.

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Story by Carly Porter, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer.