Air quality

[picog]

We have clouds of pollen in the air here — it's like a mist coming from the tress. Amazing, I've never seen it before.

[Dancerwithwings]

We have clouds of pollen in the air here — it's like a mist coming from the tress. Amazing, I've never seen it before.

Same here! i've a big fern tree in my garden and it looks like the trees on fire at times, I been living here for 16 years and I've never seen it before either.

[Summer Sun]

Was a strange smell in the air early this morning in Darlo not sure if it was the pollution or not we had a 4 today which is moderate

[picog]

Forecast a 10 for Wednesday. I have rarely seen the pollution forecast go above a 4 for this location.

[Bottesford]

Air is very hazy over here too. Yesterday was hazy but sun was still strong. Today is haze is much thicker and still no wind at all. Lovely temperatures but not sure about what I'm breathing!

[picog]

Does anyone know which pollutants in particular we are breathing in?

[Summer Sun]

Today's map for the pollution

 

 

Purple area is very high (10)

 

Tomorrow map shows the purple areas becoming more widespread in the south

 

 

Tomorrow

 

High to Very High air pollution is expected across much of England to the south of a line from Morecambe Bay across to North Yorkshire. Low air pollution is expected north of this line and in Scotland, with isolated Moderate values possible in urban and other areas. In Wales and the southwest of England Moderate to High values of pollution are expected. In N. Ireland levels of pollution will be Low.

 

Rest of the week

 

High to Very High levels of air pollution are forecast across Wales and central and southern England on Wednesday. On Thursday air pollution levels are expected to begin to reduce generally, but may remain High across parts of East Anglia and in urban areas in central and southern England. On Friday predominantly Low air pollution levels are expected to return to the entire UK.

Edited March 31, 2014 by Summer Sun

[reef]

The North of England has some of the worst pollution in Europe tonight:

 

 

http://aqicn.org/map/world/

 

The worst is here ironically and you can really tell aswell, it stinks outside.

Edited March 31, 2014 by reef

[AderynCoch]

So that walk earlier on has basically taken ten years off my life.

 

Saturday seemed worse though,

[Thundery wintry showers]

It was certainly exceptionally hazy here today.  Normally "polluted" days with broken cloud cover produce striking "crepuscular ray" effects and orange hues near the horizon, as was true during the high pollution episoide in April 2011, but today's skies resembled sunshine attempting to break through fog and it was too hazy even for the crepuscular rays.

 

Having read around the subject there appears to be strong evidence that particulate matter (especially PM10) is strongly correlated with pollution-related haze.  I had a stay in Norwich between Wednesday and Sunday and the PM10 concentrations were mostly around 50-60 there over the weekend but have dropped since then, while most sites in Yorkshire are registering values of at least 60 right now.

 

I have to revise my earlier assessments along the lines of "only dangerous for a significant percentage of people in London".  They were based largely on what we saw during the April 2011 spell, when air quality ratings were Low or Moderate in most parts of the country with High ratings mostly confined to London, but at present High and Very High ratings are widespread, even in some relatively rural parts of the country.

 

Regarding EU emissions targets, it's fine requiring us to keep our domestic emissions levels down to stay within targets, but what do we do when large "background" levels of pollution are carried over from the continent on a south-easterly wind?  This was an issue during April 2011 and it is also an issue now.

[Summer of 95]

Much clearer here today, the sky is blue and I can see the hills 10 miles away. That rain last night really seems to have cleared the air.

Sunday and Monday were so hazy the sun could only cast weak shadows, when it came out at all.

Edited April 1, 2014 by Summer of 95

[Thundery wintry showers]

Pollution levels in Yorkshire are somewhat lower today, though still above what we would normally expect, with some Moderates and the odd High:

http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/latest/currentlevels

 

This is reflected by the current weather- it's still quite hazy but far less so than yesterday, with far more clearly-defined cloud formations and the crepuscular ray effects commonly associated with hazy conditions.

[Summer Sun]

A nice spell of sunshine today in Darlington with no haze

 

Warning over air pollution levels

 

People should be braced for "very high" levels of air pollution over the next few days, experts have warned. The East of England and Midlands are the worst-affected areas today but large swathes of England and Wales will see high levels of pollution tomorrow, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said. The elevated pollution levels have been caused by a combination of light south-easterly winds, the continental air flow and dust which has blown up from the Sahara desert, a spokeswoman said. Today north-west Norfolk should experience the highest level of air pollution. According to Defra's pollution forecast, the people in the region can expect "very high" levels of pollution. Other parts of East Anglia will experience "high" levels and parts of south-east England and the Humber region will experience "moderate" pollution.

 

" The current elevated pollution levels over parts of the UK are caused by light winds allowing the build-up of pollution, plus dust from the Sahara contributing to pollution levels," according to the Defra forecast. However, tomorrow experts are anticipating "h igh" or "very high" air pollution levels across much of England and Wales. And the high levels of pollution are expected to continue across East Anglia and the Midlands on Thursday.

But the air pollution is expected to ebb away by Friday. Last weekend, some people found their cars to be covered in a light coating of red dust. The Met Office said that a large amount of sand and dust was swept up by storm winds in the Sahara Desert. Experts said that the airborne particles of dust were blown north to the UK where they combined with our warm air and were deposited during showers.

 

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/warning-over-air-pollution-levels-130910750.html#ytMis88

 

Pollution levels are likely to increase again tomorrow south of a line from Merseyside across to The Wash with the exception of the far south west

 

 

 

Thursday will see pollution levels staying high across East Anglia and the Midlands

 

 

By Friday and Saturday predominantly Low air pollution levels are expected across the entire UK as winds shift round to a westerly source

Edited April 1, 2014 by Summer Sun

[Summer Sun]

Return of the KILLER SMOG: Worst pollution in 60 YEARS to strike Britain TOMORROW

 

A deadly pollution cloud that could prove fatal for people with serious heart and lung problems will sweep into the UK tonight and cover much of the country tomorrow. As this terrifying map from the Met Office shows, huge swathes of the UK will suffer extraordinarily high levels of air pollution in the next 24 hours - hitting highest possible level 10 on the official warning scale. The midlands and the south are set to be worst affected, but almost all of England and Wales will experience extremely high levels of dangerous pollution. Clean air campaigners claimed the Government had tried to bury news of the sudden - and shocking - decline in air quality. SOME of the worst air pollution since The Great Smog of 1952 will hit Britain within hours, the Government warned tonight.

 

Maria Arnold from ClientEarth said: "In Paris, people have been offered free transport, but the Government here has been very quiet as they don't want to draw attention to this." The sudden deterioration is being partially caused by dust from the Sahara Desert in Africa. A 'perfect storm' has developed with light winds over the UK leading to a build up in pollution. At exactly the same time, dust from the Sahara is being picked up in vast quantities by very strong winds over Africa and propelled towards us. The forecast from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) warns: "The current elevated pollution levels over parts of the UK are caused by light winds allowing the build up of pollution, plus dust from the Sahara contributing to pollution levels.

 

"High to Very High air pollution is expected across East Anglia, parts of southeast England and around the Humber. "Moderate air pollution is expected across remaining areas across southeast England and the East Midlands. Areas of Moderate air pollution are also expected across Scotland and the rest of England." Friends of the Earth pollution campaigner Jenny Bates said: "Air quality in Britain is a national disgrace, with tens of thousands of people dying prematurely each year. "Strong and urgent measures are needed to end this scandal, including action on road traffic, the cause of most pollution."

 

A Defra spokesman defended the Government's record. He said: "We want to keep improving air quality and have introduced a new five day forecast service in addition to investing heavily in local and transport initiatives to tackle this issue head on.†More than 29,000 people are die prematurely every year from small particles in air pollution, which can cause cancer. Defra warned that adults and children with lung problems, adults with heart problems, and older people should avoid strenuous physical activity tomorrow. People with asthma may find they need to use their reliever inhaler more often. They advised reducing physical exertion, particularly outdoors, especially if you experience symptoms such as cough or sore throat. The spokesman added: "Adults and children with heart or lung problems are at greater risk of symptoms. "Follow your doctor's usual advice about exercising and managing your condition. "Anyone experiencing symptoms should follow the official guidance."

 

Defra claims that that overall levels of sulphur dioxide have fallen nearly 10-fold, and smoke levels 20-fold since the 1960s, as average air quality has improved. The dangers caused by coal-burning power stations responsible for winter smog have decreased substantially, and road transport has become the biggest source of air pollution in most areas. But rare occasions when dangerously high levels of ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, PM2.5 and PM10 particles - which can seriously damage human health - do occur. The Great Smog of 1952 has been linked to the deaths of 12,000 people. A further 100,000 suffered respiratory illnesses.

 

Also known as the Big Smoke, it lasted from Friday 5 to Tuesday 9 December and struck after a long period of cold weather, an anticyclone and windless conditions converged to collect coal pollutants in a thick layer of smog over London. Huge amounts of impurities were released into the atmosphere. Every day 1,000 tonnes of smoke particles, 2,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, 140 tonnes of hydrochloric acid and 14 tonnes of fluorine compounds were released into the London air. Worst of all, 370 tonnes of sulphur dioxide were also converted into 800 tonnes of sulphuric acid every day. It was the worst air-pollution event in the history of the UK and led to several changes in practices and regulations, including the Clean Air Act 1956. The World Health Organisation said last month that - more than 60 years on - air pollution is now the planet's biggest environmental health risk, causing seven million deaths a year - a figure that is on the rise. Britain is already facing record fines of up to 300m annually after the European Commission claimed ministers had failed to reduce "excessive" levels of nitrogen dioxide in traffic pollution, despite 15 years of warnings.

 

http://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/468085/Return-of-the-KILLER-SMOG-Worst-pollution-in-60-YEARS-to-strike-Britain-TOMORROW

Edited April 1, 2014 by Summer Sun

[Dancerwithwings]

This says it all, Pollution forecast for tomorrow

 

 

Come Friday back to low values.

 

Edited April 1, 2014 by Dancerwithwings

[Summer Sun]

Air Pollution Levels Soar In England And Wales

 

Air quality is expected to plummet to its lowest possible level in parts of the UK today, as the country continues to feel the effects of desert sandstorms. The elderly, people with lung problems and adults with heart conditions have been told to avoid strenuous physical activity, as plumes of dust blown in from the Sahara and deposited by rain send air pollution soaring. London and the South East, including parts of East Anglia, Kent and Essex, are expected to be worst hit. However, high pollution levels are expected to spread across much of England and Wales during the course of the day.

 

A spokesman for the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the effects will be felt anywhere south of a line stretching from Merseyside to The Wash. It will be the second day in a row the country has been hit by heightened smog levels. On Tuesday, Defra recorded "high" to "very high" air pollution levels across East Anglia, parts of southeast England and around the Humber. The agency spokesman told Sky News: "The high level of air pollution this week is due to a combination of local emissions, light winds, pollution from the continent and dust blown over from the Sahara."

 

Many in the country have woken up over the last few days to see a thin level of red sand coating cars and streets. The Met Office said: "A large amount of sand and dust was swept up by storm winds in the desert, around 2,000 miles away in northwest Africa. "The airborne particles were blown north to the UK, where they combined with our warm air and were deposited during showers." Paul Hutcheon, of the Met Office, added: "We usually see this happen several times a year when big dust storms in the Sahara coincide with southerly winds to bring that dust here.

 

"More dust rain is possible during showers expected later this week." According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), air pollution is the world's most serious environmental health risk. It found pollution, ranging from cooking fires to car fumes, was linked to seven million deaths in 2012 - roughly one in eight. The biggest pollution-related killers were heart disease, stroke, pulmonary disease and lung cancer, the WHO said.  England is not the only place to be hit by increased smog levels recently. Last month, Paris imposed a day-long driving ban after pollution particles in the air exceeded safe levels for five straight days. Air quality is expected to return to higher levels by the weekend.

 

http://news.sky.com/story/1235585/air-pollution-levels-soar-in-england-and-wales

[weatherobsuk]

Absolutely awful here in the pennines despite it being just a level 5 (to to 7 tomorrow), very noticeable the decline in quality once stepping foot outside and the visibility is also no more than 1/2 mile anywhere you look. I'd hate to be those unfortunate enough to be under the level 10 off to the East.

[Sainsbo]

Air pollution is at 248 not too far north of London. The "healthy" level is 25. Crazy stuff.

 

[stewfox]

Absolutely awful here in the pennines despite it being just a level 5 (to to 7 tomorrow), very noticeable the decline in quality once stepping foot outside and the visibility is also no more than 1/2 mile anywhere you look. I'd hate to be those unfortunate enough to be under the level 10 off to the East.

 

When I saw my car yesterday I thought builders had been working near by its ridiculous took ages to clean.

 

Picture attached 

Edited April 2, 2014 by stewfox

[Glaswegianblizzard]

Nice clean air outside today. Went for a nice long jog and had no ill effects. 

 

We could bottle it up and send it to you if you like.

[Summer of 95]

After a clear, clean day yesterday the muck has returned with a vengeance today. Grey murk blocking the sun all day and it smells like a chemical factory out there. Very little rain though.

[Summer Sun]

Air Pollution Hits Highest Level As Smog Spreads

 

Air pollution has reached the highest recorded level in parts of the country with "very high" readings for Harrow in London and Rochester in Kent. High levels of smog are also forecast for East Anglia, the Midlands, Lincolnshire, the Wirral and the north coast of Wales and a health warning remains in force for millions of vulnerable people. Parts of England are experiencing the highest level of air pollution ever recorded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), in part due to dust from the Sahara. The elderly, people with asthma and those with lung and heart conditions are being told to take precautions, with forecasters warning the smog will not clear until Friday.

 

Pollution from Europe, low southeasterly winds and domestic pollution have all contributed to the plummeting air quality, which has led a number of charities and health bodies to issue warnings. Sotiris Vardoulakis from Public Health England, said: "On occasions where levels are high, adults and children with lung problems, and adults with heart problems, should reduce strenuous physical exertion, particularly outdoors, and particularly if they experience symptoms.

"Anyone experiencing discomfort such as sore eyes, coughing or sore throat should consider reducing activity, particularly outdoors." Moderate pollution levels are also likely to affect the northwest coast of England, southwest Scotland and the northeast coast of Northern Ireland.

 

The UK's 3.6 million asthmatics are being advised to use their blue reliever inhalers more often. Kay Boycott, chief executive of Asthma UK, said: "The two-thirds of people with asthma who find that air pollution makes their asthma worse will be at an increased risk of an attack following the alarming Defra warning of high pollution levels around the country." Saharan dust gets blown over to Britain several times a year, with the latest episode caused by a large wind storm in North Africa. Cars in some areas of the country have been covered with speckles of the dust.  The World Health Organisation estimates seven million premature deaths annually are linked to air pollution. The UK is not the only place to be hit by increased smog levels. Last month, Paris imposed a day-long driving ban after pollution particles in the air exceeded safe levels for five straight days.

 

http://news.sky.com/story/1236234/air-pollution-hits-highest-level-as-smog-spreads

[pip22]

The truth behind air quality is that poor air quality in the past were ignored by the media. I believe Summer last year we had some hot, hazy days which maybe have pollution but the media just wouldn't covered it. Its just about time they finally just covered it this week. Millions of people died from pollution around the world including Europe but the media didn't get much coverage on it and cared about it. The media seems to think poor air quality is actually alright but is not, its bad for your health.

 

Media is sometimes can be quite ''out of touch'' at times.

[Thundery wintry showers]

I think, though, that the current spell has been exceptional by recent standards, because the combination of imported pollution from the continent and our own "homegrown" pollution has been combined with significant amounts of ex-Saharan dust.

 

Most anticyclonic and/or south-easterly types with a significant input of continental air produce relatively high pollution levels but they tend mostly to populate the high bounds of DEFRA's "Low" category, occasionally nudging into "Moderate", except in and around city centres (especially London) where we might just about scrape a "High".  But this spell has had readings of "High" and even "Very High" over wide areas of the country, even in some suburban and rural areas.  I live in quite a rural part of North Yorkshire these days and Monday, in particular, was staggeringly hazy.

 

I had previously suggested that the short-term health impacts of the pollution would be largely confined to people with significant medical complications, but it transpires that I was wrong, because my assessment assumed that we stayed mostly in the low to moderate pollution bands and many of us have exceeded that by a considerable margin, presenting a more widespread health risk to the general population.  Thus I think the large-scale media coverage has been justified on this occasion.

Edited April 3, 2014 by Thundery wintry showers

[knocker]

In response to some criticism in the media

 

Verifying our air quality forecasts

3 04 2014

As forecast, air quality levels were poor across some parts of the UK yesterday and that continues today.

 

Observations available from Defra’s monitoring network show that yesterday parts of the south east saw levels of 8 and 9, in the high category for pollutants, on the air quality index.

 

Given the close match between our forecast and the observations that we do have available, there’s confidence that our forecast provided good advice and that we saw air quality levels in line with expectations.

 

Today’s forecast is again for poor air quality in south eastern parts of the country. Observations show daily air quality index values of 10 in the London area. Conditions are expected to improve as we go into this evening and later into the week.

 

The air quality forecasts provided by Defra are the most detailed forecasts provided for the UK to date. It means that emergency responders, government agencies and members of the public can use the forecast to make informed decisions.

 

http://metofficenews.wordpress.com/2014/04/03/verifying-our-air-quality-forecasts/