Northern Utah suffers poor air quality

Much of Northern Utah has been smothered by a high pressure system, which has resulted in a lowering of air quality across many urban areas. According to the Utah Division of Air Quality, the current weather system in Northern Utah has resulted in unhealthy breathing conditions, which could affect some residents' health.

On Thursday (December 14th) a health alert was issued for Northern Utah as a cold weather front came in, which can trap emissions from exhausts and industries at ground level, resulting in poor air quality. Salt Lake City was found to have the worse air pollution, with testing indicating that pollutants were much higher than the levels recommended by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The city saw airborne soot reach around 70 micrograms per cubic metre, which is twice the level deemed safe by the EPA.

The poor air quality is likely to continue for a number of days as little change in the weather is expected, resulting in the air pollution remaining at ground level. Although a small storm is predicted, officials have said that it is likely to create only a small amount of atmospheric stirring, not enough to clear the air.

Motorists have been asked to reduce the number of trips they are taking and to opt for mass transportation, such as buses, while solid-fuel burning has been banned until air quality improves. Businesses have also been instructed to limit emissions by attempting to optimise their operations.

The health alert has suggested that children, the elderly and any residents with heart or respiratory conditions avoid any outdoor activity while the air pollution levels remain high. They should be especially mindful at peak times - such as afternoon and mid-morning - when levels are likely to increase.

Utah usually sees air pollution levels rise at this time of year, when cold air reduces atmospheric movement in the valley areas. It is likely that the pollution season will last until January. According to the EPA, areas of Portland and California were also affected by poor air quality on Thursday.