Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Air Quality Warning as Fireplaces Smoke Out Phoenix

Staff Writer, Nathaniel Diaz 
Weather / Air Quality
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Air Quality for the next couple of days will be unhealthy and a challenge for those individuals with respiratory illnesses while everyone uses their fireplaces for festivities instead of necessity.

Forecast Discussion: The ridge off the west coast continues to influence our region bringing stable conditions. We have also seen drier air move into the area over the last 24 hours which will allow cooler minimum temperatures and stronger morning inversions. This will further help to trap particulates and increase their concentrations. The atmospheric stability along with increased burning activity associated with Christmas means today and Christmas will likely see concentrations of PM-2.5. The forecast for Christmas day was slightly more challenging due to some expected winds. A trough will be moving through the area tomorrow afternoon which will help with ventilation; however I expect light winds in the morning hours and PM-2.5 concentrations in the morning to be high enough that there will still be an exceedance even with some increased ventilation in the afternoon. I will admit that if winds are stronger than expected in the morning hours on Christmas, then PM-2.5 concentrations may be healthier than anticipated. Looking at the weather for the next few days, skies should be mostly sunny and temperatures will cool after the trough passes. Still no precipitation in the forecast due to the ridge that continues to sit off the west coast; hopefully we can get some strong enough lows to break down that ridge and bring us more rain.
There is a better way.

Turn off the fireplace and turn on Youtube: 8 HOURS ✰ Best Fireplace HD 1080p video ✰ Relaxing fireplace sound ✰ Christmas fire, Full HD. Festivities saved.

You may just save a life. 


Source: Airnnow