Southern California Faces Poor Air Quality Amid Heat Wave

Southern California is experiencing poor air quality as a heat wave affects the dispersion of pollutants. The National Weather Service reported that a high-pressure system is pushing particulate matter closer to the ground, worsening air quality conditions. Meteorologist Carol Ciliberti noted that weaker winds are preventing the usual onshore flow that typically helps disperse pollution.

An air quality alert issued by the South Coast Air Quality Management District due to fireworks-related soot and particulates ended at 3 p.m. on Sunday. This alert covered central and southern Los Angeles County, northern Orange County, and Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The region's air quality is traditionally at its worst around the Fourth of July, and this year’s situation is compounded by a late June warehouse fire in Boyle Heights that released significant amounts of soot across L.A. County.