Winter Weather (live, driving, good)

[mountainfaith]

Yeah, that's my concern, too - the inversion. I need the great weather there - with the low humidity for my health. But sure don't want my family breathing 'code red' pollution often. I'm sure you guys don't either. I'm glad you said that your current inversion is much longer than normal, so that it's not that way most of the time. phew. We came out there to visit during an inversion. That's when it was getting started. Hubby's boss said he felt bad because he loves to tell people how it's really sunny, clear, & very beautiful most of the year. And then when we fly out it was when there was an inversion. But the sun did come out and break thru for hours at a time on the last day and it was just gorgeous out there. WOW!! What a beautiful region you have out there with all the breathtakingly beautiful nature views. Just so sad to have that inversion pollution problem.

Hey, funny thing. Can't you just install some HUGE fans on top of the mountains and BLOW the stuff away? hahaha. You said it takes WIND coming in. Gotta have some humour w/this, too.

Hey, on this note, can u please tell those of us moving to Utah - [b]are any cities or counties better, not hit quite so bad with the inversion?/B] Are Davis & Weber any better than Salt Lake City area? Sure hope so! Do you have to be too much further north, like Brigham to get out of the inversion, or is it all along the west side of the Wasatch Mountains? Thanks for your help.

[coolcats]

Here is a local article from yesterday's paper:

http://www.sltrib.com/search/ci_5100038

[mountainfaith]

Thanks for the article. Sure hope it goes away for you all very soon - and stays away for a long time. My hubby will be out there in the beginning of Feb. for several days, so hoping it's gone by then.

[chazcrew]

Unfortunately, if you're in the lower valley anywhere, you'll be affected by the inversion. I'm in Utah County, and it's nasty, too. Gloomy and depressing and just yucky. You can get out of it if you go to a higher elevation; I understand Park City doesn't have this problem, or at least not to this degree. But Park City doesn't fit your financial or geographical needs for housing, so I'm afraid you're probably stuck with the rest of us, sitting in our houses and longing for the sun! This really is the worst I've seen it in a long time. Usually our winters are quite pretty, with beautiful snow in the mountains and sunny blue skies in the valleys.

[cas2006]

Yup, I live about 20 miles east of Park City...on the upper Provo River....and for all of the days the "valley" has endured this inversion, we have enjoyed clear, blue sky....though VERY cold. It has varied from 20 below to 5 above every morning for the last couple of weeks. This blue sky stretches all the way to Colorado eastward (well, not sure about the Vernal area) and there is plenty of living space on the US 40 corridor. Heck of a commute to SLC, but people do it.

[snowstorm]

As to what we can do.... I have heard so many people upset and bummed out because of the air quality in Slc. Theres ALOT you/we can do but I really don't see anyone taking the steps to change. Al Gore is very right on when he say's its because its inconvenent for people. People in this country are sheltered,pampered and a little lazy (sorry). Yesterday there was a meeting downtown about energy solutions dumping power in toole and other areas. A bill is going to pass that allows them to basically do what they want(with their nuclear waste) and only 12-15 people showed and there was NO news coverage, BUT the bill on setting an age on tanning was on the news.
#1 you need to make changes in your life style that cuts your emmissions of carbon dioxide and other gases in the air. Change your light bulbs in your house, RECYCLE that includes not useing things that you really don't need!!!! when you go to restaurants do you really need 20 napkins and a straw??? Ride your bike when you can. BUY a bag thats designated for the grocery store.
Theres sssssoooooo much, really just educate yourselves.

[snowstorm]

Also it is effecting your health some can feel it some can't.

[scirocco22]

Some good thoughts, snowstorm. I appreciate your environmentalist attitude and suggested life-style changes.

One thing that none of us want to admit we should be doing or really doing anything about is:

DRIVING LESS!

I know, we're going to hear all kinds of excuses on why each of us as individuals can't or won't do that.

The only real way, as I see it, to significantly reduce harmful polutants in the air is to cut down on the number of vehicles that are on the road.

So to that end, very simply stated:

Car pool and/or take the bus (or any form of public transportation) or WALK!

We must get the shear number of vehicles on the road reduced to reduce the polutants in the air.

100 years ago was there smog in the SLC valley? Of course not. We know what we have to do but most of us will refuse to do it ...I'm guilty of it too, I know it.

--'rocco

[thwrosdlton]

I've been shocked by how bad the inversion is around SLC. Living in the SF Bay Area most of my life we only saw smog like that when there were big wild fires in other parts of CA. I got sick when I visited Hong Kong because of all the pollution probably 30 years ago, but so far the SLC inversion doesn't seem to cause any health problems for me.

The Tooele Transcript had a story on inversions back in December they said the Tooele County is on the lowest end of the scale and SLC and Cache Valley were the highest. You can check their archives for December 12, 2006 at
http://www.tooeletranscript.com/

I don't see things changing anytime soon in Utah. It's the Redest of the Red states which usually means pro business and anti environment.

[thwrosdlton]

BTW, today was my first time driving in SLC while it was snowing. I noticed the snow had a brownish / black tint on my car windows. I don't think it was coming from the roads since it was also on the rear window.

The snow I've shoveled from my driveway out in Tooele County doesn't seem to have the same dark tint. I can only assume the it's being caused by the inversion.