Did you notice hazy conditions in the KC metro this weekend? Here’s where it came from
Many Kansas Citians noticed hazy conditions in the metro on Sunday — and may have awoken to a fine layer of dust on their windshields or patio furniture Monday morning.
Haze can be caused by various factors, including pollen or dust, air pollution or even distant wildfires. The National Weather Service office in Kansas City confirmed that the city’s slight drop in air quality over the weekend was due to dust blowing in from Western Kansas.
“Strong southwest winds have blown dust from western Kansas into western Missouri,” the agency posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “You can see it on satellite as it moves across central Kansas.”
While air quality in the area was designated “unhealthy for sensitive groups” Sunday evening, the dust subsided overnight, leaving behind clean which to view Monday’s solar eclipse.
According to the EPA’s AirNow air quality tracker, metro residents won’t see good air quality again until Tuesday. Monday’s rating is “moderate,” meaning that those with air pollution sensitivities may be impacted if spending long periods outdoors.
Monday’s air quality woes have more to do with ground-level ozone, also known as smog, with fine dust particles. Smog is formed when nitrous oxides from human infrastructure emissions interact with sunlight, making it more likely to occur on clear, sunny days with low wind.
Check out these interactive online maps to understand of current and upcoming air quality in the Kansas City area.
Do you have more questions about air quality in the Kansas City area? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.
This story was originally published April 8, 2024 at 2:09 PM.
.jpg)