AST Weather Blog: Air quality a bit reduced with high pressure overhead

Yet another ridge of high pressure has built across our region, contributing to hotter conditions. But on this Monday, it has also contributed to reduced air quality. The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality put out an alert, stating the ozone forecast for today is code orange, meaning its time to get serious about ozone pollution in central Arkansas.

As a result, the National Weather Service has issued an Air Quality Alert for the Little Rock Metro and surrounding areas.

So what does this mean? Due to a higher concentration of ozone pollutants, the air quality may be unhealthy for some. Those who suffer from respiratory illnesses should limit time outdoors.

When high pressure sits overhead, we often see more sinking air than rising air. A warm layer of air aloft, known as an inversion, sets up as well. This keeps the normal every-day pollutants trapped near the surface, preventing it from escaping into the upper-atmosphere. This causes there to be a higher concentration of particulates near the surface, making it more dangerous for sensitive groups.

With high pressure expected to remain over the next few days, these conditions could linger a while longer. A slight uptick in wind could help dilute these particulates, perhaps improving quality just a bit. But if it doesn’t happen by late-week, enhanced rain chances and an approaching cool front should help clear things out a bit more into late-week.

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