Smog Watch in effect

August 4, 2008 – A Smog Watch has been called by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency for King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties.

Hot air is moving into our region from the south, bringing a temperature inversion along with it that will trap air pollution and impact air quality over the next several days.

The Department of Health reminds people with asthma and parents of children with asthma to limit outdoor activities during hazy, sunny, hot weather when ozone levels are high. Adults with lung and cardiovascular diseases (heart disease and stroke) should also be mindful of poor air quality.

In rural areas of King and Pierce counties downwind of Seattle-Tacoma, expect “moderate” air quality on Tuesday, falling to “unhealthy for sensitive groups” Wednesday as ozone levels rise. In core urban areas, air quality is expected to fall to “moderate” on Wednesday due to levels for fine particle pollution (soot and smoke).

The Clean Air Agency’s meteorologist predicts an onshore flow will return Wednesday evening breaking the pattern and bringing air quality back to “good” levels the remainder of the week.

Actions you can take to help spare the air this week include:

• Driving your most fuel-efficient car, and combining errands into one trip.
• Skipping gasoline-powered yard work and gas-fueled recreation.
• Carpooling or riding the bus to work, events and outings. 
• Refueling your car in the cooler evening hours. 

This week’s Smog Watch is the first called since a new, more stringent air quality standard for ozone was announced in March 2008 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  In the future, some regions may no longer be in compliance with the standard if Washington’s summers are hot and sunny. 

Ozone comes primarily from automobile tailpipes and “cooks” in heat and sunlight on hot days to produce smog.  Exposure to ground-level ozone can reduce lung function, cause respiratory irritation, aggravate asthma symptoms, and weaken the immune system. Ozone has environmental impacts as well; studies show that ozone can damage agricultural crops and forests. 

EPA lowered the eight-hour standard from .084 parts per million to .075 parts per million to better protect public health.  Local air monitoring data from years 2006, 2007 and 2008 will be averaged and used to determine attainment status, so we won’t know for certain until after this summer is over if our region will violate this new national ambient air quality standard.  The Puget Sound area has been close to the new level at a couple of monitors the past two summers, so we’re hoping we won’t have a long, hot summer with high ozone readings.

To learn more about smog and what you can to lessen the pollution leading up to it, visit www.pscleanair.org/airq/basics/weather/smog.aspx .

Check air-quality forecasts and current conditions at www.pscleanair.org/airq/aqi.aspx# .

 

About the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency
The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency serves the people of King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties. We work together to clean the air we breathe and protect our climate through education, incentives and enforcement. To learn more about our work, and how you can be a part of it, too, visit us at www.pscleanair.org .

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