Kansas City metro area under second ozone alert this week amid excessive heat
An air quality alert continued into Tuesday as the Kansas City metro deals with oppressive heat.
The orange ozone alert indicates an unhealthy amount of ground-level ozone across the metro, according to the Mid-America Regional Council.
Similar to warnings for the excessive heat conditions, residents should avoid outdoor activity and prolonged exertion, stay hydrated and check on family and friends. Children, older adults and anyone with a health condition should be particularly cautious about outdoor exposure.
Ozone pollution is formed when emissions from vehicles, lawn and garden equipment and other sources react with heat and sunlight. Hot, sunny weather, low wind speeds and lack of rain can increase the likelihood of poor air quality.
This is the 14th air quality alert this season in the Kansas City area. More ozone alerts have been issued in the metro this year than any under current standards that trace back to the 2016 season, according to MARC.
The most comparable year was 2018, when 10 ozone alerts were issued and ozone pollution exceeded national air quality standards 12 times.
By Wednesday, MARC said there should be more clouds to slow ozone development and more wind to disperse air pollution, but high temperatures and sunny skies are expected until the weekend, meaning air quality could remain poor.
MARC also recommends limiting outdoor activity between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., especially for children, older adults and people with heart or breathing problems. Anyone can be affected by exposure to ozone pollution and could experience chest pains, coughing, nausea, throat irritation and difficulty breathing.
To help reduce air pollution, residents should postpone mowing their lawns and refueling vehicles until after 7 p.m. or after the air quality alert is lifted. If possible, residents should avoid driving and instead walk or bike to destinations before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m.
This story was originally published August 22, 2023 at 8:28 AM.
