Air quality reaches unhealthy levels

If there's anything clear about recent air quality in the Valley, it's the fact that it hasn't been great, and now it's being called unhealthy.

County officials are warning residents to limit the amount of time they spend driving, and to keep in mind the burn restrictions in place.

Late-December snows were followed by a cold airmass, trapping cold air in the valleys, and allowing a continual buildup of pollutants.

After weeks of buildup, those pollutants, monitored in areas throughout the county, are starting to spike.

Edward Brotsky, the Mesa County Air Quality Specialist explained, "For the last few weeks, we range, especially during the nighttime, out of the good category and into the moderate.  And then today (Monday) is the first day that we've moved out of the moderate category and into the category that we consider unhealthy for sensitive groups."

This pollution is small enough to potentially penetrate deep into the lungs and even the blood stream.

The very young and very old, as well as those with asthma or heart conditions, are considered at highest risk.

A storm late this week may help clean some of it out, but cold air will again settle in late in the weekend.