The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has called an Ozone Action Day for the Dallas-Fort Worth region on Saturday, Oct. 10, the second straight day of the alert after one was also in effect Friday.
In its forecast discussion, last updated at 1:50 p.m. Friday, the agency said calm winds, warm afternoons, enough sunshine and pollution drifting in from elsewhere could push ozone to the middle of the "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" range Saturday. TCEQ expects the worst air to be across the northern part of the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Austin and Houston are also under action days Saturday.
Conditions should improve on Sunday, when the state outlook calls for ozone in the middle to upper part of the "Moderate" range for parts of the region.
What orange means for your plans
On the federal Air Quality Index, the orange category runs from 101 to 150. Air North Texas, the regional air quality program of the North Central Texas Council of Governments, advises that on orange days active children and adults, and anyone with asthma or another respiratory disease, should cut back on long or strenuous activity outside.
Ground-level ozone is not released directly from tailpipes or smokestacks. TCEQ explains that it forms when nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds react in sunlight, and that breathing high levels for several hours can reduce lung function, make deep breaths painful and worsen asthma. Air North Texas lists coughing, throat irritation, chest tightness and shortness of breath among the symptoms people may notice.
Ways to cut emissions on an action day
The council of governments asks residents to help keep levels down. Its list of voluntary steps includes:
- Putting off lawn mowing until a day without an alert
- Skipping outdoor burning, including grilling
- Limiting engine idling and combining or skipping errands
- Carpooling, riding transit, biking or walking when possible
- Saving electricity at home
- Keeping tires properly inflated
