Watching the Skies

An Air Pollution Watch has been issued for the DFW Metroplex for the 2nd day running. Air pollution levels are likely to reach level orange which means unhealthy for sensitive groups such as young children, any with respiratory illnesses and the elderly. This might actually explain why I have had a sinus infection and headache running the last few days :-/

AIR QUALITY ALERT MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
123 PM CDT THU MAY 28 2009 

…AIR POLLUTION WATCH LEVEL ORANGE…

AIR POLLUTION WATCH – LEVEL ORANGE – FOR DALLAS-FORT WORTH.

THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (TCEQ) HAS ISSUED A
LEVEL ORANGE AIR POLLUTION WATCH FOR THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH AREA
FOR FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2009.

ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BE FAVORABLE FOR PRODUCING
HIGH LEVELS OF OZONE AIR POLLUTION IN THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH AREA
ON FRIDAY. OZONE LEVELS COULD REACH THE LEVEL ORANGE “UNHEALTHY
FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS” CATEGORY.

ELEVATED CONCENTRATIONS OF OZONE CAN ACT AS A LUNG IRRITANT.
INDIVIDUALS WITH CHRONIC LUNG DISEASE, SUCH AS ASTHMA AND
EMPHYSEMA, AS WELL AS THE ELDERLY AND YOUNG CHILDREN, ARE
PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE TO OZONE AND SHOULD ATTEMPT TO AVOID
EXPOSURE.  TO AVOID EXPOSURE, MINIMIZE EXERTION OUTDOORS DURING
THE MID-DAY TO EARLY EVENING HOURS OR STAY INDOORS IN AN AIR-
CONDITIONED ROOM DURING THIS TIME.