Air Quality Alert Issued In Rhode Island For Weekend Heat Wave

NARRAGANSETT, RI — With extremely high temperatures and humidity in the forecast throughout the weekend, air quality alerts have been issued for Narragansett and Providence on both Saturday and Sunday.

For both areas, Saturday will be a yellow, or moderate day, while Sunday will be an orange, or "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" day. Air quality alerts mean that there will be more ozone than usual in the air, making it difficult to breathe, especially for those with asthma or other breathing conditions.

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management said that the worst areas for air pollution will be along the state's southern coast, where many flock to cool off at the beach. High levels of ozone can cause coughing, chest pain, shortness of breath and other respiratory issues, the department of health said.

To help reduce air pollution, the DEM suggests taking the following steps:

• Limit driving as much as possible
• Carpool
• Consider taking RIPTA buses
• Get gas after dark and don't top off your tank
• Keep air conditioners at the highest comfortable temerature
• Avoid using gasoline engines