A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis, serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. © James Conner.

27 August 2015

Bad air in the Flathead

Yesterday was one of this summer’s most miserable days in the Flathead. A high of 93°F, relative humidity down to 14 percent, almost a dead calm, smoke dimmed sunlight, and the highest particulate concentrations of the year. At 1100 MDT, the one-hour concentration was 141 µg/m^3. Two hours later it had doubled: 282 µg/m^3. This is heat exhaustion weather. It’s also weather that makes people edgy and irritable.

Below, a graph of particulate concentrations in the Flathead for the last seven days.

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