LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Clark County has issued an air quality advisory for dust on Monday due to high winds expected in Southern Nevada.
The Clark County Department of Environment and Sustainability says it issued a dust advisory to advise residents and local construction sites of the possibility of elevated levels of blowing dust due to the forecast of high winds in the area.
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13 Action News meteorologist Justin Bruce says wind gusts are expected to be 25 mph during the early morning hours and then increase up to 35-40 mph from late morning through midnight with a wind advisory in place from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Wind gusts up to 25 mph early this morning will approach 40 mph from late morning through this afternoon into the evening. Wind Advisory in place from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Watch @KTNV at https://t.co/JF6vZKHIeQ for the latest! pic.twitter.com/OB3wXdttQ6
— Justin Bruce (@just1nbruce) October 25, 2021
Officials say airborne dust is a form of inhalable air pollution that aggravates respiratory diseases and under windy conditions, people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children may feel better staying indoors as much as possible because they could be at greater risk from particulates.
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The EPA’s Air Quality Index translates air quality data into colors to help people understand when they may experience health effects from air pollution. An AQI of 101 or more is considered a level that may be unhealthy for sensitive groups of people. Tips to limit exposure to dust include:
· Limit outdoor exertion on windy days when the dust is in the air. Exercise, for example, makes you breathe heavier and increases the number of particulates you are likely to inhale.
· Keep windows and doors closed.
· Run your air conditioner inside your house and car to filter out particulates.
· Consider changing your indoor air filters if they are dirty.
· To keep the dust down, drive slowly on unpaved roads.
· Don’t take shortcuts across vacant lots.
· Ride off-road vehicles in approved areas outside the urban Las Vegas Valley.
· Call Environment and Sustainability’s dust complaint hotline at 702-385-DUST (3878) to report excessive amounts of blowing dust from construction sites, vacant lots or facilities.
