Potentially hazardous air quality has gripped Phoenix, Arizona, as a combination of stagnant weather, windblown dust, and warm temperatures fueled a rise in PM10 pollution, prompting hazy skies and health warnings across the region.
Why It Matters
According to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), particulate matter (PM) is a mix of tiny solids and liquid droplets in the air, made up of substances like acids, organic chemicals, metals, dust, and allergens such as pollen or mold. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established air quality standards for two types: coarse particles (PM10), 10 micrometers or smaller, and fine particles (PM2.5), 2.5 micrometers or smaller.
PM10 often comes from windblown dust from deserts or farms, crushing and grinding activities, dirt road traffic, and certain agricultural operations, it says.
What To Know
“PM10 (dust) levels are substantially elevated across the entire Valley, with every PM10 monitor seeing high PM10 levels. This is because of dust, which extends down to southern Arizona, and even into Mexico,” ADEQ said in a forecast.
AccuWeather meteorologist Alex DaSilva told Newsweek that “Phoenix has been dealing with poor air quality due to an area of high-pressure overhead that has brought above-average temperatures to the area.”…