Poor air quality lingers

UNDATED (WSAU) Wisconsin is going through its longest stretch of soot pollution since February of 2005. That’s according to the D-N-R, which extended an air quality watch until 11 o’clock tonight for 54-of-the-72 counties. The only ones not covered are in the far north and northeast parts of the state.

The air has not been moving very much since last Sunday. And according to the E-P-A, Wisconsin currently has the largest mass area of particle pollution in the country from things like vehicles and smoke-stacks. The D-N-R’s Bart Sponseller says the current weather pattern does not have enough wind to blow away the soot that gets trapped in the atmosphere. Most of the state had light rain yesterday, but that didn’t clean up the air.

On Tuesday Milwaukee had the most dangerous soot levels on the D-N-R’s measuring chart – and officials said it was enough to cause potential harm to healthy adults. But for the most part, the D-N-R said the air has been unhealthy for kids and seniors, and those with lung and heart conditions. Those people are advised to keep curtailing physical activity.

Forecasters say a new weather system probably won’t be arriving until Saturday.