John FrancisJun 7, 2023

Smokiest streak ever.

It looks even smokier this morning than it did yesterday.

With the AQI pinned at 10+, another way of considering the thickness of smoke is the visibility. Yesterday's range was from 3-10km, but this morning, it's dropped as low as 1.2km.

Somewhere there are data feeds with the measurements of air pollutants, I've seen them measured in the 0-1000 ug of PM2.5 particulates, an AQI of 10 is something like 200. Models show blobs over 500 heading at Ontario.

Show threadRoss of OttawaJun 7, 2023
@johnefrancis sounds like we need a new AQI scale.
Show threadKinetixJun 8, 2023
@ottaross
I presume there may be other systems as well, but I'm always happy to point out purpleair.com as an excellent real-time air quality resource.

In Kamloops, the government has one air sensor in town, and it's in our downtown. There's probably 25-30 purpleair sensors right around our town, and their data is much more useful ( map.purpleair.com is where the real time map is)
@johnefrancis
Real-time Air Quality Monitoring by PurpleAir

Hyper-local, real-time, public air quality map. Visualize PM2.5 AQI in your area for free. Useful to community scientists or air quality professionals alike, PurpleAir sensors are easy to install, requiring only a power outlet and WiFi.

PurpleAir
Show threadRoss of OttawaJun 8, 2023
@kinetix @johnefrancis ha - funny coincidence for me, seeing this comment this week. Was just doing some consulting that I can *vaguely* say involved looking into them and a few others in that space. Interesting things going on there in the coming years.
Show threadJohn FrancisJun 8, 2023
@ottaross @kinetix it's pretty neat, but I think if I were to spend in that range, I'd go for a home seismometer. I think the clay I'm on would jiggle like jello above the Nepean sandstone when there's small earthquakes in West Quebec
Show threadRoss of Ottawa
@johnefrancis @kinetix indeed, my citizen science sensor would be seismic too.
Jun 8, 2023 at 2:51amTusky