As a massive heatwave was preparing to settle within the Bay Area just in time for the vacation, and the prospect of polluted air was there too.
That threat was enough on Monday for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to issue a “Spare the Air” warning for a minimum of Tuesday.
The warning is the third in 2024; the opposite two occurred back to back in mid-June.
Whether it is a sign of a series of days with harmful air quality will likely depend upon developments off the coast, officials said.
“It really depends on the intensity of the winds off the ocean,” said air district spokeswoman Tina Landis. “It's very likely that this could be the case every day, but we can't say for sure. Some of those winds could blow some of the pollution away.”
According to the county, concentrations of ground-level ozone will likely be harmful to health. Young children, seniors and folks with respiratory and heart conditions could experience difficulty respiration in the event that they go outside, officials said.
“It’s getting worse as the day goes on,” Landis said.
A high pressure bubble is forming, causing a protracted heat wave that can affect the region until July 4th and into the weekend. Temperatures of as much as 42 degrees are expected inland. According to meteorologists, the high pressure is trapping pollutants.
The district urged people to make money working from home, use public transportation, or walk or bike to work to scale back smog.
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