• News

Air Quality in San Diego: Why is It Unhealthy Right Now?

The air quality in San Diego right now isn’t the best, and you may be wondering why. Here’s what you should know.

If you recently opened up the Weather app on your smartphone, you may have noticed that San Diego’s air quality index is currently at 107, which is “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” Some San Diego residents may even be seeing hazy weather outside.

Reportedly, the cause for the air quality in San Diego right now is a temperature inversion and light winds, according to NBC San Diego.

For those that are unfamiliar with the term, a temperature inversion is when the temperature of the air around us rises with the height in the atmosphere, National Weather Service Meteorologist Brian Adams told NBC.

This kind of temperature inversion can trap a lot of the moisture from the marine layer — the source of cloudy weather and cooler year-round temperatures in San Diego. Temperature inversions can also trap other pollutants, which may be the cause of the poor air quality in San Diego.

San Diego isn’t the only metropolitan area in Southern California to be affected. In fact, our neighbors to the north, including portions Los Angeles and Riverside counties, are under an air quality alert. San Diego, however, is not.

As a result of the alert, there’s currently a ban on wood burning in many areas in Southern California because of high air pollution. The alert is in effect through the end of Wednesday, Jan. 17.

For those in America’s Finest City, wood burning is still allowed and there should be no major issues associated with the air quality. However, some people who are sensitive may notice the increase in allergens.

If you’re worried about negative effects, check out our article on whether where you live can affect your health.

Media credit: Image licensed from Adobe