all about smoke and maps
Today I'm recording where to find information on smoke because there are a bunch of wildfires screwing up the air quality. I can go out and walk in the mornings if I wear an N95 mask, but it's put a crimp in my mountain biking schedule. I can go if I'm careful to not push it, which essentially means no hills unless they are very, very small, like you'd find in central Illinois, where it took me six months to realize I lived at the top of one.
NOAA ozone and smoke prediction department (click on the map where you'd like to see more, then argue with the mouse-over stuff to the left to see hourly predictions -- I had to lift my finger from the mousepad for anything to change, but I bet it's fine for an old-fashioned mouse)
NOAA smoke prediction for the day (not exactly labeled, but general smoke outline plus individual smoke plumes)
--that's the first map on the page for "Hazard Mapping System Fire and Smoke Product" (analyzed smoke data maps and stuff)
Map of where the fires/hot spots are
--that site came from here, which may go lots of interesting places
Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program -- scroll down to deployments
Here are my favorite pages from the EPA's air quality website, which come with a combined ozone/particulate forecast and rolling eight-hour average readings for up to four pollutants, depending on location. The EPA's prediction for Arizona is always the same general shape on the map, which is a product of their model, but the color of the blob over Phoenix and how far south is goes is a very good indication of what the day will be like in Tucson. I can only assume that their current readings map is also from a model, since they can't blanket the state with sensors, but it looks like a good guideline (e.g., badness is coming down from Phoenix, or ozone tends to be worse on the east side of town at the National Park, but it's always bad in the afternoon in the summer).
--here's Tucson's page
--here's Pinal's page (they have an actual forecaster because their air is worse, and he sometimes says helpful things about how long various pollutants will stick around)
It's more complete to include my local county, but they use an "instant" air quality index, and it doesn't seem to help me figure out if my chest will hurt or not if I go out without a mask. The EPA site uses the same data, but different averaging, and whatever they're doing pretty consistently tells me if I'll hurt. My limit on the EPA's site is currently 50, the break between "Good" and "Moderate," in all categories, as far as I can tell. But the locals get points for having a 360o view of town, and you can really see the particulates if they're there, or just admire the view.
If you can figure out which fire is responsible for the smoke blowing into town, instead of, say, a whole bunch of fires in Mexico, the national "Incident Information System" (here's the Arizona page) has recent information and maps of your local fires.
Ok, I'm tired now, so I'll update later, or forget all about this as soon as the rains start.
NOAA ozone and smoke prediction department (click on the map where you'd like to see more, then argue with the mouse-over stuff to the left to see hourly predictions -- I had to lift my finger from the mousepad for anything to change, but I bet it's fine for an old-fashioned mouse)
NOAA smoke prediction for the day (not exactly labeled, but general smoke outline plus individual smoke plumes)
--that's the first map on the page for "Hazard Mapping System Fire and Smoke Product" (analyzed smoke data maps and stuff)
Map of where the fires/hot spots are
--that site came from here, which may go lots of interesting places
Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program -- scroll down to deployments
Here are my favorite pages from the EPA's air quality website, which come with a combined ozone/particulate forecast and rolling eight-hour average readings for up to four pollutants, depending on location. The EPA's prediction for Arizona is always the same general shape on the map, which is a product of their model, but the color of the blob over Phoenix and how far south is goes is a very good indication of what the day will be like in Tucson. I can only assume that their current readings map is also from a model, since they can't blanket the state with sensors, but it looks like a good guideline (e.g., badness is coming down from Phoenix, or ozone tends to be worse on the east side of town at the National Park, but it's always bad in the afternoon in the summer).
--here's Tucson's page
--here's Pinal's page (they have an actual forecaster because their air is worse, and he sometimes says helpful things about how long various pollutants will stick around)
It's more complete to include my local county, but they use an "instant" air quality index, and it doesn't seem to help me figure out if my chest will hurt or not if I go out without a mask. The EPA site uses the same data, but different averaging, and whatever they're doing pretty consistently tells me if I'll hurt. My limit on the EPA's site is currently 50, the break between "Good" and "Moderate," in all categories, as far as I can tell. But the locals get points for having a 360o view of town, and you can really see the particulates if they're there, or just admire the view.
If you can figure out which fire is responsible for the smoke blowing into town, instead of, say, a whole bunch of fires in Mexico, the national "Incident Information System" (here's the Arizona page) has recent information and maps of your local fires.
Ok, I'm tired now, so I'll update later, or forget all about this as soon as the rains start.
posted by missmolly at 2:37 PM
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