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Hello,
My husband and I are considering retiring in the Asheville area. Since we have lived in the Sierras and Rocky Mountains, which because of the drier air and less pollution has spectacular blue skies, we are concerned when we look at photos of the Asheville area: There never seems to be clean-air days---the air around the mountain landscapes is always hazy, and I have only found a couple of photos where there is a blue sky.
Is this from pollution or just from humidity and mist? And do you ever have days when you get a real "blue-sky" feeling?
Hello,
My husband and I are considering retiring in the Asheville area. Since we have lived in the Sierras and Rocky Mountains, which because of the drier air and less pollution has spectacular blue skies, we are concerned when we look at photos of the Asheville area: There never seems to be clean-air days---the air around the mountain landscapes is always hazy, and I have only found a couple of photos where there is a blue sky.
Is this from pollution or just from humidity and mist? And do you ever have days when you get a real "blue-sky" feeling?
Thanks so much for your info help.
Have no fear, there are many beautiful blue sky days in Asheville Maybe you've never heard of "Carolina blue skies"?
Can't speak for all of A'ville area, but we are ~30 miles west of Asheville, at ~5,000 ft altitude:
we have our share of spectacular 'Carolina Blue Skies', though most of those come in spring,
autumn, and winter...or, after a good rain.
The source of the occasional haze is attributed to several factors, imo: the coal fired power plants
up in the TVA area, the natural 'bowl' effect of the haze settling in the valleys, between mtn ridges,
and the human produced pollution that also settles in the valleys. And, the naturally occuring stuff
as they have been called the 'Smokies' for a long time.
I've been to CO,UT, ID, MT, et al several times, and while those skies at 8-10k+ feet altitude are breathtaking,
(pun intended), we may have more hazy days than you do, esp in deep summer and
at lower elevations eg Asheville >>> east and south.
My 50Cts.
GL, mD
PS: I don't shoot a lot on 'blue sky days' as it is often less interesting, but here are some pics shot from our deck view, fwiw.
What a drop-dead beautiful picture! THIS is what grabs our hearts towards moving there. Thank you for the "blue sky" reassurance, and no, I have never heard of Carolina blue skies, but am happy to know that it is talked about. In our research it appears that WNC is careful about pollution and is very proud and protective of its glorious landscapes, farms, and wilderness, and we really are attracted to that type of community.
Thank you for those amazing photographs! How lucky you have those right off your deck. Waynesville sounds nice at 5,000 -- we live presently at 7,300 so am not bothered by the extra snow or elevation. We have been looking (via internet) at the Boone and Blowing Rock areas outside Asheville, but I will check out Waynesville today. I like having those kind of views!
RE: the air quality. We are researching it now and were shocked to find how bad Charlotte is (one of the worst in the country) but the county that Asheville is in gets a much better rating. And I know similar to the Rockies or Sierras (where we have lived), the higher in elevation you go the better the air quality gets.
Do you know if they monitor the air quality there locally on any daily basis with public access? In Colorado, for instance, you can go to web sites that keep you apprised of the air quality everyday, so you can plan or cancel trips into Denver on really bad days.
Also, since you have traveled a lot in the Northern Rockies, how do you think the humidity in WNC's "high country" compares?
Sorry for so many questions!
mountainrose,
Thanks for the kind words; just snaps from our deck of our view...not humping Waynesville, but worth a look, imo: the town is at ~2500-2800 feet, ringed by mtn ridges of 4-6,000 ft. We love the area, fwiw.
"Humidity": really varies by altitude, imo, though last summer was the warmest/most humid we have experienced in 10 years, even here at 5,000 ft. But, alt reduces temps and, thus the humid 'feeling'.
That link is about 3-4 miles as the crow flies, from us, with a slightly more easterly view, at the same altitude...look on left side of menu for other web cams in SMNP and other areas of western NC.
Fwiw, I have never had allergies, and walk a couple miles every morning, but last summer and, thus far this season, I can 'feel' some stuff in the air/my nose,
for the first time in my life. I just try to ignore it. Weather is weird everywhere, these days, imo...
GL, mD
WNC-hiker,
Was that just a joke, or is there a lot of smoke in the air some of the year?
We get a a lot of smoke in the air during winter when people use their fireplaces, and it is amazing how it can grow thick with haze. Many places are now banning any form of wood-burning stoves or fireplaces, and requiring new homes to put in only gas fireplaces.
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Maybe you've never heard of "Carolina blue skies"?
