CODE RED-AQI 161

I swiped this training aid from the net. The picture of the nut clutching squirrel and the butt to head dragon flies were made by me with the little big Sony.
Everyone is talking about the weather and how hot it is. Yesterday when I got home just before 1700hrs the trusty barn thermometer read 98F. Out in the way back I saw this little fella completely cracked out on a limb holding his nut like the two dragon flies below were going to take it from him.
As luck would have it for the squirrel, these dragon flies were too busy practicing their refueling technique to worry about some squirrel's nut.
The real story however for all creatures attempting to operate outdoors on days like the ones that have been happening recently is not the heat. Yes, it is very hot but the problem is compounded by the ground level ozone or O3 for short. Yesterday was predicted to be in the high 90s with a Code Orange Ground Level. In fact a few places around the Piedmont hit 100F and the entire region's AQI went to 161(10 points passed the end of Orange) in the middle of the day giving us our first CODE RED this year.

With another day of near 100 degree temps today, the AQI will most likely be in the 150 plus range giving us back to back Code Red transfers. Remember it is not the heat that is making it hard on you, it's the gaseous poison that can not go any lower than the ground you are walking on but it can stack up on itself hundreds of feet above your head. Enjoy the VOCs(Volatile Organic Compounds) today everyone, I know I will!