Folks throughout metro Denver may want to avoid strenuous activity through Friday because of an “intrusion of ozone” that’s making the air quality worse, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said.
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State officials issued an air quality health advisory for parts of the Front Range, including Boulder, Jefferson, Denver, southern Weld and western Douglas, Arapahoe and Adams counties on Thursday morning.
“An intrusion of ozone from high up in the atmosphere to the surface is expected through at least Thursday afternoon,” state officials said in the alert.
Public health officials also sent out an Ozone Action Day Alert on Thursday afternoon for the Front Range urban corridor from Douglas County to the south and Weld and Larimer counties to the north. The advisory is set to last until at least 4 p.m. Friday.
Action day alerts mean pollutants, including ozone, are either at unhealthy levels or are expected to reach unhealthy levels later that day or the next. An air quality index value of 101-150 is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, while 151 and above is unhealthy.
The increased ozone levels means active adults and children, along with people with respiratory disease like asthma, are more likely to have respiratory symptoms and breathing discomfort, public health officials said. Ozone levels are expected to reach the highest levels between noon and 10 p.m.
People can reduce emissions that contribute to ground-level ozone by working from home and skipping their commute or taking public transportation, state officials said.
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