Wednesday, August 31, 2022

Poor Air Quality Likely to Accompany Heat Wave

CITY NEWS SERVICE

If the heat wasn’t bad enough, Southland residents were being warned Tuesday about the likelihood of poor air quality over the next week that could reach unhealthy levels in some areas.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District has issued an ozone advisory, warning of potentially unhealthy air quality most afternoons, exacerbated by the rising temperatures, through at least Sunday.

“Elevated temperatures increase emissions of chemicals leading to ozone formation and enhance ozone formation rates,” according to the AQMD advisory. “This long duration and intense heat wave will likely cause unusually high and persistent levels of ozone pollution.”

The AQMD noted that ozone, or smog, pollution can lead to problems such as difficulty breathing, asthma attacks and lung damage.

According to the agency, poor air quality is possible over the coming week in the entire San Gabriel Valley — as well as central Los Angeles, southeastern L.A. County, the east and west San Fernando Valley, the Santa Clarita Valley, San Gabriel Mountains, South-Central Los Angeles County and the Pomona-Walnut Valley area.