Smoke and ash continue to obscure Colorado’s skies.
Many people across the state are also feeling the effects.
You might have even noticed one of our weather graphics has changed slightly.
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For the last couple of days. air quality meteorologists for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment have been issuing Action Day Alerts for particulates for much of the Front Range.
I could talk all day about the weather, but the reality is we have a small window to give you the forecast for Colorado and even less time to give more details about that action day.
So here is what it means.
Air quality meteorologists define particulates along the Front Range as a combination of smoke and ash and pollution.
Neither is new to Colorado, but the smoke and ash across the state have been particularly bad because of the number of wildfires burning across the country.
Smoke and ash usually hang out high enough above the surface that it doesn’t impact the health of a large number of people. This year, however, we’ve seen it sit over the state for several days at a time.
This allows those particulates to settle to the surface. When the surface values go up, we all start feeling the effects. That’s when air quality meteorologists will issue an Action Day Alert for Particulates.
I talked to 9NEWS Medical Expert Dr. Camilla Sasson and she said that when we breathe in that smoke and ash, it makes its way to our bloodstream. It’s an irritant to our body and causes inflammation.
You might be getting headaches, coughing or sniffling, or the effects are worse if you have asthma or lung disease. Inflammation won’t clear up immediately when the smoke clears.
Depending on how bad the smoke levels are could mean you feel its effects for 24 hours or even days.
That means that skies could clear after a bad smoke day and you’ll see be coughing or having trouble breathing on your morning run.
Pay attention to your health while the smoke and haze are around. If you aren’t feeling yourself, limit your time outdoors and try exercising inside.
Strong winds or rain could temporarily clear our skies, but for the long term, our views won’t get better until the fires are out across the country. Since the forecast for the northwest is calling for more hot and dry weather, that may take a while.
