Masks won't help with Twin Cities ozone alert, officials say — staying inside is the best option

With the bright, beautiful weather we've seen lately across Minnesota, it makes sense that everyone wants to be outside. However, that sunshine is actually helping to create some unhealthy air in the Twin Cities.

Because of elevated ozone levels in the metro, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issued the first air quality alert of the year for the Twin Cities.

"Ozone is a gas, and it's a kind of pollutant that forms from the reaction of other pollutants in the atmosphere," explained Ryan Lueck, an air quality forecaster with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

Those other pollutants are mostly coming from car exhaust and industrial emissions.

"These are always kind of present in the atmosphere, especially around urban areas, but when it becomes a problem for ozone, it's when you have the right kinds of weather conditions, which we've been experiencing lately," Lueck said.

In other words, the hot, dry weather we've had, along with plenty of strong sunshine, can turn them into ozone.

"Up high, it's blocking some solar radiation, which is good for us. But if it's near the surface where we live and where we breathe, that's when it becomes a problem," Lueck said.

That can lead to irritated lungs, especially for those with asthma, emphysema or bronchitis. Lueck added that because it's a gas, masks will not help, so staying inside is your best bet.

"You're not going to be able to see it or smell it like you would with wildfire smoke, and so you're not going to have those cues that the air quality is bad until perhaps your symptoms develop."

And with more hot & sunny days on the way, Lueck said we'll need to pay close attention for additional alerts.