Weather

  Newsweek -  Millions of people in Arizona are being advised to limit activity that contributes to air pollution, after an air quality alert was posted by the National Weather Service (NWS) in conjunction with local authorities.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that ozone exposure can irritate the respiratory system, triggering coughing, throat irritation, and pain while breathing deeply. It may inflame and harm the airways, reduce resistance to infections, and aggravate preexisting lung conditions like asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis.

While healthy individuals can experience symptoms, those with respiratory diseases face a higher risk of more serious health effects, the EPA said.

An ozone high pollution advisory was issued for the Phoenix metro area—home to nearly 5 million people—by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality on Thursday. The warning is in effect throughout Friday, it said.

Axios - Heat waves can leave behind devastating consequences on infrastructure, from electricity outages to damaged airport runways and faulty rail lines.  A big risk is grid strains that can bring blackouts, but other threats include ...

Heat can soften asphalt, which can potentially create safety issues and require more frequent replacement and maintenance. Concrete can expand, crack and buckle.

• For trains, rails made of metal expand and lead to tracks that buckle, which increases derailment risk. Bridges, too, can suffer from expansion of steel.

Water: Underground pipes, including sewer pipes, can expand and shift due to heat, which could cause leaks and breakages.

• Machinery at pumping stations and treatment plants could become overburdened.

Digital: There's already a very high cooling demand for data centers under regular conditions. Heat makes those data centers more vulnerable to power issues and overheating.  Full story