Health Expert Warns DFW Dust Has Reached Dangerous Levels After Storm From West Texas

PLANO, Texas. On Monday morning, drivers lined up in the parking lot of the stunning Tommy’s car wash in Plano. Most had similar stories about what brought them there, and echoed the sentiments of Plano resident Travis Baschi.

“It was a lot of dirt and I got to my car early and it was just covered and like everyone here I needed to get that car washed,” Baschi said.

Dust covered the Dallas skyline Monday morning after high winds brought polluted air in from West Texas. While many have had to clean up the mess left in their cars, dirty air can be a big problem for those who already have breathing problems.

Medical experts also say that when the air is so polluted, even people who don’t normally have upper respiratory problems can be affected. The WFAA contacted Dr. Joseph Chang, Chief Medical Officer at the University of Parkland.

“Another thing that I think people don’t think much about is exercise. Even if you have good lungs, this level of pollution can make it difficult for people to exercise,” Chang said.

He said the best thing people can do is pay attention to their bodies. He says if you feel bad, stay at home. If you work outside, it’s best to take a break.

“Just be smart, if you start to feel like you’re having trouble breathing, don’t push it. This doesn’t mean you’re weak, it just means there’s extra dust in the air and you might need to slow down. down,” Chang said.

By Monday evening, most of the dust from the DFW sky had cleared.