New hourly air quality app helps users determine when its safe to be outdoors in SoCal

The warm weather makes it easy to enjoy the outdoors, but in Southern California, you have to be wary of the air quality.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) has launched an Android version of its app to help people monitor air quality during the summer smog season.

The previously available iOS version of the AQMD app has won two awards from GovTech AT&T.

The AQMD will also be launching an hourly forecast that has the ability to predict air quality levels hour-by-hour for fine particulate matter and ozone, also known as smog.

AQMD officials say the app is a great way for people planning a hike or outdoor exercise to better plan their activities when air quality is predicted to be the cleanest.

"Green is good, yellow is moderate, if you see anything in red, that's really unhealthy air," AQMD Board Member Vanessa Delgado said.

"Having an app that is readily available to everyone will be very useful," says Dr. Eli Hendel, a pulmonologist at Dignity Health Glendale Memorial Hospital.

Hendel explains during the summer months, there is often more oxygen being electrified and causing ozone.

Wind can also be a contributing factor.

"Asthmatics are the ones that suffer the most because they have exaggerated reactions to the same elements that other people will," says Hendel.