MPCA Issues Ground-level Ozone Alert For Half Of Minnesota

If Minnesota were a car's dashboard, it would be lighting up like a Christmas tree right now. There are red flag warnings across the state as high temperatures and windy conditions create a tinder box for spring wildfires. So, when I saw that there was an air quality alert for a large portion of Minnesota, I assumed it had to do with the smoke. Nope, it's something different.

Air Quality Alert

According to WDIO, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issued an Air Quality Alert for western and central Minnesota for Monday, May 12. The alert is set to expire by 9 pm tonight, but conditions tomorrow could call for another alert.

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Ground Level Ozone

This is the first time I've heard of ground-level ozone. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says the sunny skies, warm temperatures, and low humidity create the right conditions for two types of pollutants to be in the air. Those are volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides.

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Chemical reactions happen with the pollutants when combined with heat and sunshine. It creates a toxic ozone layer that can cause breathing issues for some people, especially those who suffer from asthma.

How you can help reduce ground-level ozone.

The MPCA suggests you reduce vehicle trips and don't fill up your gas tank during the hottest part of the day. Don't use your gas-powered lawn and garden equipment, and avoid backyard fires.

You can check local air quality online.

The MPCA has an online air quality checker at airnow.gov. You can enter in your zipcode and it will tell you the current air quality, along with a forecast. The forecast today for Minneapolis is unhealthy for sensitive groups, and tomorrow is expected to be of moderate quality.