SAN ANTONIO – The air quality on Monday, May 18, 2020 will be at levels considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, due to higher levels of ground-level ozone.
Who is included in ‘sensitive groups’?
- very young children
- the elderly
- those with respiratory conditions, such as asthma
If you, a family member, or a friend are included in one of these groups, you’re encouraged to limit time spent outdoors on Monday - especially in the afternoon. If you’re not in one of these groups, then you can spend time outdoors without any concern.
Where will air quality be affected?
Air quality will be affected in and around the San Antonio metro area. This includes San Antonio, Bexar County, and the seven counties directly surrounding Bexar County, as shown in the image below.
How does weather affect air quality?
In general, ground-level ozone in the air can be observed at higher levels when the weather is hot and sunny (as it will be on Monday). That’s why South Texas usually sees more days with higher ozone levels in the spring and summer months.
However, overall air quality can be affected by pollutants other than ozone. For example: Saharan dust...does that ring a bell? You’ve likely heard the KSAT meteorologists talk about it before. Dust from the deserts of Africa can be brought over to North America by the trade winds over the Atlantic Ocean. This happens primarily in the late-summer and early-fall, during hurricane season. The very, very fine particulates that compose this dust can lower air quality when plumes of it arrive in South Texas.
Does air quality affect the spread of COVID-19?
No. There’s no need to be concerned about air quality affecting how COVID-19 spreads from person to person.
Our weather will stay hot and sunny through the middle of the week. Low-end rain chances return Wednesday night and beyond as our weather pattern shifts.