This morning, Dallas-Fort Worth is waking up to a clear but muggy day, with temperatures in the low 70s and dew points hovering near 70°F. The air is thick, the vibes are sweaty, and the heat is only getting more intense this afternoon, with highs expected around 93°F and light south winds most of the day. Those warm, stagnant conditions have triggered an Ozone Action Day for today, making the late afternoon the roughest stretch for sensitive groups and anyone planning to be active outside.
Afternoon Air Quality Risk
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality reports that the Dallas-Fort Worth area is under an Ozone Action Day for today, and ozone concentrations could climb into the upper end of the "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" range in parts of the Metroplex. People with asthma, lung disease, or heart conditions are urged to limit prolonged outdoor exertion during the afternoon and early evening, when levels are most likely to spike.
TCEQ and local partners are also asking residents to do their part by cutting back on driving and avoiding unnecessary vehicle idling to help limit ozone buildup. You can keep tabs on neighborhood air conditions by checking TCEQ's daily air quality page for updated maps and AQI readings.
Weekend Heat And What’s Next
According to the National Weather Service Fort Worth, today's high near 93°F is just the opening act. Highs are expected to climb into the mid 90s tomorrow and next Sunday, with a peak near 96°F next Monday. South winds may pick up a bit and gust up to 20 mph tomorrow afternoon, offering a little breeze that will not do much to knock back the heat.
Relief chances show up later next week. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are forecast to return next Tuesday, through yesterday, when slow-moving storms could produce heavy downpours and an isolated severe wind threat. If you have outdoor plans during that stretch, it is worth keeping an eye on the hourly forecast and radar.
How To Plan
To ride out today's ozone and heat, try shifting strenuous outdoor activities to the morning or later evening, and keep windows closed during the hottest afternoon hours. Anyone who is ozone sensitive should keep inhalers or other prescribed medications close at hand.
If you can, carpool, combine errands into a single trip, or hold off on gas-powered yard work until cooler parts of the day. Those small changes can help protect your health while also easing local ozone formation during one of the more polluted afternoons of the week.
