Colorado Resumes Daily Alerts for Ozone Pollution Season

With summer underway, residents across the state are getting crucial updates to help protect their health and reduce harmful emissions during peak ozone months.

• By Stasia DeMarco
• Jun 02, 2025

The state health department’s Air Pollution Control Division has resumed its daily air quality forecasts for the 2025 ozone pollution season. From May 31 to Aug. 31 each year, Coloradans subscribed to the division’s “ozone front range" email list receive daily notifications sharing forecasts for ozone pollution. These forecasts are also available on the division’s website in English and Spanish. 

If forecasts show that a specific day may exceed National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone pollution, the email will say an “Ozone Action Day Alert” is in effect. If forecasts do not show elevated ozone pollution levels, the email will say there is no alert in effect. The division’s meteorologists share daily forecasts with the National Weather Service to reach as many Coloradans as possible.

“These daily alerts are a great way for people to stay informed on ozone pollution levels while making the most of their time outdoors during the summer,” said Michael Ogletree, the senior director of the state’s air quality programs. “We’ve made great progress in adopting new policies to address ozone pollution through the key sectors of transportation and oil and gas activities, and we’ll continue to see improvements as those policies mature in the coming years. Although we know it’s not always possible for people to make changes to their daily routines and schedules, individual Coloradans can also make a difference. For example, filling up your gas tank later in the evening or carpooling can reduce air pollution emissions that form ground-level ozone.”

The division’s meteorologists closely watch for key air pollutants and trends year-round across the state. In the summer, the division especially focuses on monitoring ozone pollution in the northern Front Range area. However, all Coloradans can subscribe to receive email alerts. Only the “ozone frontrange” list receives daily emails in the summer. Subscribers to other lists will only receive an email if the division issues an air quality alert for that area.