Maricopa County Ozone Advisory Runs Through Tuesday in Tucson Weather
Arizona officials issued an Ozone High Pollution Advisory for Maricopa County through Tuesday as tucson weather in the Phoenix metro area was forecast to bring 105°F to 110°F heat. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality said the forecast weather and existing ozone levels could combine to produce 8-hour concentrations that pose a health risk.
The National Weather Service in Phoenix said the greater Phoenix region, including Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale and Glendale, is expected to see dangerously hot conditions until 8 PM MST Tuesday. That keeps the advisory in place across a large part of the state’s population center while air quality and heat are both elevated.
Maricopa County Advisory
The advisory covers the Phoenix metro area and runs through Tuesday. It was issued as officials warned that weather conditions combined with ozone already in the air could push 8-hour levels into a range that can affect breathing.
Ground-level ozone forms when nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds react in sunlight, and the risk tends to rise on warm, sunny, stagnant days. Children, older adults, people active outdoors and those with heart or lung conditions face the highest risk.
Phoenix Heat Forecast
The National Weather Service said temperatures of 105°F to 110°F were expected across the greater Phoenix region until 8 PM MST Tuesday. The forecast area includes Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale and Glendale.
For people spending time outside, the overlap of heat and ozone is the issue. Ozone is a lung irritant that can constrict airways, cause coughing and throat irritation, make it harder to breathe deeply and worsen asthma, bronchitis and other lung diseases.
Driving Limits Through Tuesday
Officials are asking people in affected areas to limit driving gas- and diesel-powered vehicles through Tuesday afternoon. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment issued an Ozone Action Day Alert for the Front Range Urban Corridor until Tuesday afternoon, covering Douglas, Jefferson, Denver, western Arapahoe, western Adams, Broomfield, Boulder, Larimer and Weld Counties.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued an Ozone Action Day for the El Paso area throughout Tuesday until Tuesday night. For Arizona residents in Maricopa County, the immediate step is to stay alert to the advisory, cut back on driving when possible and pay closer attention to outdoor exposure during the hottest part of the day.
That means the main concern through Tuesday is not just the temperature reading itself, but the combination of heat and ozone over a densely populated area. The advisory stays in force while the Phoenix region remains in the 105°F to 110°F range.
