Bay Area air will be smoggy and unhealthy Wednesday and Thursday, prompting the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to extend a Spare the Air alert one more day.
The air district says high inland temperatures into the 100s combined with a weak afternoon sea breeze and vehicle exhaust will create elevated concentrations of smog both days.
Spare the Air alerts are issued when smog, or ozone pollution, is forecast to reach unhealthy levels, the air district says.
Ozone pollution can be harmful for young children, seniors and those with respiratory and heart conditions. The district says people should exercise outdoors only in the early morning hours when ozone concentrations are lower.
Ozone can cause throat irritation, congestion and chest pain. It can trigger asthma, inflame the lining of the lungs and worsen bronchitis and emphysema.
To find out when a Spare the Air Alert is in effect, residents can register for email AirAlerts at sparetheair.org, call 1(800) HELP-AIR, download the Spare the Air App or connect with Spare the Air on Facebook or Twitter.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
