RAPID CITY, SD – The National Weather Service earlier this morning issued an air pollution alert for dust for Rapid City for west of the area known as ‘The Gap’. The alert period is scheduled through 4 p.m. this afternoon.
The alert is issued in collaboration with the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Northwesterly winds 25-35 miles per hour are forecasted with gusts of 60 miles per hour during the alert period. The gusty winds will suspend fine dust in the air, producing poor air quality. Current conditions in Rapid City show northwest winds at 25 miles per hour with a temperature of 33 degrees Fahrenheit.
City Environmental Planner Morgan Twombly of the City’s Air Quality Office is advising businesses and the public to take necessary precautions to minimize dust emissions and for those with health conditions, especially the elderly, young and anyone with respiratory problems, to avoid excessive physical exertion and reduce exposure. Operations which generate fugitive dust are advised to take extra measures to mitigate emissions during this time.
Visit the National Weather Service alerts update web page: https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=usa&wwa=air%20quality%20alert. Hourly dust concentrations are available on the DANR web page http://danr.sd.gov/Environment/AirQuality/AirMonitoring/RealTimeData.aspx.
In addition, the ‘Air Quality Index’ link has been on the City’s website since 2021 and can be found at two locations on the City’s home page at www.rcgov.org – in the Community Bookmark and ‘What’s News In The City’ sections. The online feature displays the current air quality in the Rapid City areas, and any community in the nation, by simply inputting the zip code, city or state.
