What is the inversion in Salt Lake City?
Salt Lake’s infamous inversion – in which colder air above air traps warm, polluted air in the Valley – is, like the snow, a fixture during winter months. It’s not uncommon for the air quality index reach dramatic enough levels that Utahns are urged to work from home to avoid unnecessary car pollution.
How long does inversion last in Utah?
A typical Utah winter sees about five to six multi-day inversion episodes and on average, 18 days with high PM2.5 levels exceeding the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). A strong storm or low-pressure system is often needed to clear out the inversion.
Does Logan Utah get inversions?
The area has periodic serious winter inversions when PM2.5 levels are high.
Why is Salt Lake City so hazy?
The answer is simple: Salt Lake City is situated in a valley (Salt Lake Valley) and is surrounded by mountains, with the Wasatch Mountains to the east and north, and the Oquirrh Mountains to the west. This means that when the inversion happens, the air gets trapped within the surrounding atmosphere.
What is inversion season in Utah?
Winter
Wintertime inversions are a common event in Utah, occurring primarily during the months of December through February. Prolonged inversions can lead to the high levels of fine particulate pollution, or PM2.
What cities get inversions?
While the Beehive State may experience terrible air during the colder months, it’s not alone when it comes to pollution made worse by inversion….(File photo)
- Bakersfield, Calif.
- Fresno, Calif.
- Hanford-Corcoran, Calif.
- Los Angeles, Calif.
- Modesto, Calif.
- Salt Lake City, Utah.
- Pittsburgh, Pa.
- Merced, Calif.
What causes inversion?
They occur most often when a warm, less dense air mass moves over a dense, cold air mass. This can happen, for example, when the air near the ground rapidly loses its heat on a clear night. This cold air then pushes under the warmer air rising from the valley, creating the inversion.
Does Park City have inversion?
Only 30 minutes away, Park City is the ideal place to ride out a bad inversion day. Endless trails and outdoor opportunities await along with brilliant blue skies and fresh air…the kind all mountain towns should have.
Why is Logan so Smokey?
“Unlike in a valley inversion where the low valleys see the worst pollution, when you’re dealing with smoke, the smoke comes from the upper-level air. That smoke gets filtered all the way into Logan and the Cache Valley, Heber Valley and over the mountains.
Why is Utah smoky?
Our area of low pressure is to the North of Utah and with its counterclockwise flow, wraps that thick smoke back into the state.
What is causing the smoke in Utah?
Wildfire smoke from fires burning in California have pushed plumes of smoke through Utah for the last several weeks. On Thursday, unhealthy air returns with air forecasted to hit the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” category for Cache, Davis, Weber, Box Elder, Salt Lake, Tooele, and Utah counties.
Why do inversions occur in Utah?
Utah inversions often occur after a snowstorm. The snow cover makes the air colder near the ground, and the clear skies warm the upper atmosphere. If a high pressure system moves in, the gradual sinking of the warmer air acts as a cap over the cooler air, much like a lid over the valley bowl.
What is a temperature inversion and what causes it?
Under normal atmospheric conditions, air is warmer near the ground and colder at higher altitudes. In a temperature inversion, the situation “inverts,” and cold air at the surface gets trapped under a layer of warmer air.
Will the storm weaken the Valley inversions?
The storm “may slightly weaken valley inversions,” but any improvement will be temporary. A second storm midweek may also brush by the state, but it, too, is expected to have only a minimal effect on inversions at lower elevations.
How do inversions affect the air quality?
Pollutants from vehicles, wood burning, area sources, and industry become trapped near the ground during inversions, leading to poor air quality. PM 2.5 concentrations build the longer the inversion lasts and can reach unhealthy levels.