If you have sensitive lungs, you may want to stay inside today.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has issued an air quality alert for Western New York, effective today from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Here's a quick breakdown of the air quality.
Oxide nitrogen gases and things like car and factory emissions heat up from temperatures on the surface of the earth and mix together. These pollutants get trapped by the atmosphere and stay low to the ground. This creates harmful ozone and poor air quality conditions.
Air quality is measured on a scale from 0 to 500 based on the amount of pollutants, like ozone, in the air.
Today, Western New York is lingering around 100, just past the moderate threshold and into the level designated as unhealthy for those who are sensitive. This means people with asthma and other respiratory issues may want to refrain from outdoor activities.
For more on air quality alerts, click here.
