PENNSYLVANIA, USA — It's Friday, and that means it's time to look back at this week's weather in another Weather Rewind...
This week, we’re looking back at the eruption of the world’s largest active volcano over in Hawaii!
LET’S REWIND!
Fountains of lava nearly one hundred feet high spewed into the air once the Mauna Loa volcano began its eruption last weekend.
Volcanic gases and ash mixed with the sky and gave a dangerous, eerie glow during the night.
Hawaii's health department warned the eruption poses the biggest risk to air quality as Mauna Loa spews sulfur dioxide and other volcanic gases.
Officials urged people to cut back on outdoor exercise and other activities.
We’ve had a handful of days this past month where air quality was a concern—but for different reasons.
WHAT’S HAPPENING?
Air quality alerts with a “Code Orange” were issued those days.
Here in Central Pa., the concerns don’t come from Hawaii volcanoes, or even the air quality concerns out in the Western U.S. during wildfire season.
For us, pollutants can build up in a stagnant air mass, even from fair-weather high pressure systems.
That just means when the same air mass is parked over us for several days.
Ground-level ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide are the four major pollutants monitored.
They are color-coded to represent the amounts.
If levels reach a “Code Orange,” an Air Quality Alert is issued for our area.
This means this vulnerable groups like the elderly, children, and people with asthma or lung disease need to take precautions.
Anything labeled red or higher is unsafe for everyone, but those are very rare here.
A yellow label means a few people sensitive to certain pollutants may have reactions.
Of course, green means good for all!
Stay tuned every Friday for the "whys" behind the weather wonders that grab our attention each week!