Health officials issued a 24-hour ozone alert along the Front Range Friday afternoon after concentrations neared unhealthy levels.
Hot temperatures and intense sunshine on Friday spiked ground-level ozone concentrations, according to the “Ozone Action Day Alert” issued at 4 p.m. Friday by the Regional Air Quality Council and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Friday morning ozone readings tracked by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment were 31 in the Denver metro area, which indicated “good” air quality.
By 1 p.m. Friday, readings in the Denver area reached 85, indicating “unhealthy” air quality.
Ozone concentrations increased to 97 in Colorado Springs Friday at 8 p.m.
Temperatures in Denver reached 99 degrees Friday.
Today’s cooler temperatures and breezy conditions were expected to put air quality back at safer levels.
Readings from 9 a.m. today in Denver, Colorado Springs, and the Fort Collins and Greeley area all indicated “good” air quality, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment website.
The alert is expected to last until 4 p.m. today.
Active children and adults and persons with respiratory problems should limit outdoor exposure between the hours of 1 p.m and 11 p.m. today, according to the alert.
Steve Graff: 303-954-1661 or sgraff@denverpost.com
