A recent haze over parts of San Diego County has residents questioning whether there is any concern with our air quality.
San Diego County is not under an air quality alert but several counties are to our north, including Orange and portions of Los Angeles and Riverside counties. The alert was issued by the South Coast Air Quality Management District, which prohibits wood burning in fireplaces and outdoors.
Even without the warning, San Diegans may still be experiencing the effects of poor air quality due to very light winds and a temperature inversion, said National Weather Service Meteorologist Brian Adams.
"A temperature inversion is what we refer to when the temperature of the air rises with the height in the atmosphere," Adams said. "And that can trap a lot of the moisture we see from the marine layer and also other pollutants.”
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The temperature inversion creates a cap of warm air in the lower atmosphere that air particles can't escape from. Combined with light winds that don't clear out any pollutants, some San Diegans with sensitivities may notice an increase in allergens.
Signs of a temperature inversion include clear skies, calm winds, dewy conditions and fog in low-lying areas. They typically are most drastic at sunrise and sunset, according to the NWS.
The temperature inversion also led the South Coast Air Quality Management District issued the no-burn alert through Wednesday.
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"Smoke from wood burning can cause health problems," the NWS said. "Breathing high levels of pollution from wood smoke can cause breathing problems (including asthma attacks), worsened lung and heart disease symptoms, and may even increase emergency room visits and hospitalizations."
