March 29, 2021

Air Quality Alert Issued Today & This Evening For West Rapid City

An air quality alert is issued for Rapid City, west of 'The Gap' until 9 p.m. today. An air quality alert is issued for Rapid City, west of 'The Gap' until 9 p.m. today. (City File Photo/Darrell Shoemaker)

AIR QUALITY ALERT ISSUED

TODAY & THIS EVENING

Alert effective today until 9 p.m.

RAPID CITY, SD--An air pollution alert for dust has been issued for Rapid City, west of The Gap, until 9 p.m. today.  The alert was issued at 6:32 a.m. today by the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources and relayed by the National Weather Service.

The City's Air Quality Office recommends the elderly, young and anyone with respiratory problems to avoid excessive physical exertion and exposure to the outside air during the alert period.  Strong west to northwest winds will continue into this evening with sustained winds of 25 to 40 miles per hour and gusts to 65 miles per hour expected. 

The gusty winds will suspend fine dust in the air over west Rapid City, producing poor air quality.

Voluntary actions to reduce dust pollution include ceasing or reducing the manipulation of soil in construction, industrial and agricultural activities, and increasing the use of pollution controls for soil stabilization, waste pits, stock piles and construction sites.

Hourly dust concentrations are available on the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources' web page:  http://denr.sd.gov/des/aq/aarealtime.aspx

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