Community Corner

Stop the Mower: Today Declared First Ozone Action Day of Season

It's the earliest in the year an Ozone Action Day has been called since 1999.

A heat advisory and now the first Ozone Action day of the season are in effect today for southeast Michigan.

Several days of hot, humid weather, high temperatures, little wind and little chance of rain have contributed to the high concentration of ground-level ozone that is expected today, according to the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments. 

This is also the earliest Ozone Action day called since 1999.

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So, what the heck is ozone?

"Ozone (O3) is a highly reactive gas composed of three oxygen atoms. Depending on where it is in the atmosphere, ozone affects life on Earth in either good or bad ways," according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's website. "Tropospheric, or ground-level, ozone forms primarily from reactions between two major classes of air pollutants: volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). These reactions depend on the presence of heat and sunlight, meaning more ozone forms in the summer months.

Find out what's happening in Huntington Woods-Berkleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

So, what can we do about it?

SEMCOG recommends residents take the following actions to help keep the air clean:

  • Try not to refuel on Ozone Action days: If you need to refuel, fill up in the evening when the weather is cooler. Also, don’t “top off” the tank.
  • Reduce automobile use: Plan to carpool, use public transit, walk, bike or work at home.
  • Relax: Choose the lawn chair over the lawn mower.

With a heat advisory issued until midnight tonight, temperatures in Metro Detroit hit 94 degrees at 3 p.m. Tuesday, breaking the 43-year-old record for June 7 by 1 degree, the National Weather Service said. 

Temperatures are expected to soar into the upper 90s today with the high temperatures and humidity combining to make it feel like 95-100 degrees.

 


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