Air Quality in Salt Lake City (Provo, Ogden: home, purchase, allergies)

[dmnari]

Does it happen every winter? I used to live in Provo (for about 4 years) and I don't remember any smog. I am thinking of moving to SLC but I am worried about the air quality.

Which places are the best places to avoid the smog but still be close enough to SLC (I don't want to be anywhere near Provo again.)

[lemon&lime]

It is smoggy in the summer too.

[okie1616]

I moved here from Oklahoma City and I have to say I will be moving out because my asthma has gotten so bad. The red days have gotten more and more each year and I know other asthmatics who have had to move out of Utah, Salt Lake and Davis county.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Ozone levels in the summer, smog/inversion in the winter - ain't it grand! I developed asthma at the age of 61 after living here 2 yrs. We had red alert days this week as well.

[rhoelzer]

I moved to Provo from Chicago two years ago. For air quality, the worst days in Chicago are better than the best days here. The haze hanging in the air is constant summer and winter due to auto and coal plant emissionsand temperature inversion. It's worse more recently due to dust storms and blizzards blowing in from the desert denuded by range fires the last couple of years. It's terrible. I really started feeling it when I undertook strenuous outdoor running for exercise. I cough and hack for days, eyes throat and lungs burn for days. Not good. I'm moving to New Mexico before I develop lung cancer. From what I've read, Boise is no better. Sorry Utah. You might have lots of churches but you've neglected your air quality. The mountains are OK however.

[bob rulz]

Originally Posted by rhoelzer

I moved to Provo from Chicago two years ago. For air quality, the worst days in Chicago are better than the best days here. The haze hanging in the air is constant summer and winter due to auto and coal plant emissionsand temperature inversion. It's worse more recently due to dust storms and blizzards blowing in from the desert denuded by range fires the last couple of years. It's terrible. I really started feeling it when I undertook strenuous outdoor running for exercise. I cough and hack for days, eyes throat and lungs burn for days. Not good. I'm moving to New Mexico before I develop lung cancer. From what I've read, Boise is no better. Sorry Utah. You might have lots of churches but you've neglected your air quality. The mountains are OK however.

We haven't neglected our air quality. It's called geography. In Chicago there's no mountains to trap it.

[kwm03160]

Originally Posted by dmnari

Does it happen every winter? I used to live in Provo (for about 4 years) and I don't remember any smog. I am thinking of moving to SLC but I am worried about the air quality.

Which places are the best places to avoid the smog but still be close enough to SLC (I don't want to be anywhere near Provo again.)

It's also a problem in Orem/Provo (Utah County). Utah County used to require oxygenated fuels.

[5280milehiguy]

I have to say that I don't like most of January here in SLC because of the inversion, which brings low visibilities, hoar frost (look it up) lack of sun and cold, cold, cold. Other than January, the air is pretty decent most of the time. I did notice today however, that since our weekend snow storm, there is now a distinct haze against the Oquirrh (western) Mountains. It's quite strange, but just after a storm comes through, the winds die down the air just gets murky. Also, the cold air does get trapped here in the Valley, and it takes another front with strong southerly winds to mix out the cold ouf of the Valley. Yes, if you can travel up 80 during an inversion you will see the sun and blue skies, but the muckiness can be seen in your rear view mirror as you gain altitude.

[cinnabon]

I've noticed the haze, but it doesn't look brown and there doesn't seem to be any smell. I guess it's mostly just in the winter that it gets really noticable. Maybe it's less in E Millcreek where we're pretty far above the valley. Fortuntely I'll be up in Park City pretty much every week to ski, so I'll get a break.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

It won't be less in E Millcreek, not high enough up. Park City will be fine and you will see the air when descending back home.