RAPID CITY, SD – The National Weather Service issued an air pollution alert for dust early Wednesday morning for the western portion of Rapid City, targeting the area west of “The Gap.”

The health advisory is scheduled to remain in effect from 9 a.m. through 8 p.m. today. Local weather officials coordinated the warning in collaboration with the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Forecasters expect powerful northwest winds between 30 and 40 miles per hour, with potential gusts reaching up to 55 miles per hour during the alert timeframe. These intense winds are projected to kick up and suspend fine dust particles in the air, creating poor localized air quality conditions.

Rapid City Environmental Planner Morgan Twombly is advising at-risk individuals, including elderly citizens, young children, and residents with chronic respiratory issues, to take immediate precautions. Recommended safety measures include minimizing outdoor activities and avoiding excessive physical exertion until the dust clears. While these groups face the highest health risks, officials suggest that all residents in the affected Rapid City area take general precautions to limit exposure to the airborne particles.

“We also advise that any manipulation of soils cease or be minimized during these events,” Twombly said. “We also recommend that process equipment, waste pits, stockpiles, and construction sites be stabilized via watering or chemical treatments to increase pollution control.”

Residents looking for updates can monitor the National Weather Service alert page online. Real-time data and hourly dust concentrations are also available directly on the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources monitoring website.

Additionally, the “Air Quality Index” link remains active on the Rapid City municipal website at www.rcgov.org, where it can be accessed under the Community Bookmark and the “What’s News In The City” sections. The tool has been available since 2021 and allows users to check current air quality conditions across various Rapid City neighborhoods, or any other location nationwide, by entering a specific zip code, city, or state.