[stupac2]

If the air quality worsens tomorrow, I cannot see putting on sporting events. The fine particulate matter in the air will go deep into the players lungs and can even get into the blood. It will slow them down long after the game. Why risk the players' health?

In the East Bay, we have been dealing with air worse than I have seen in 30 years here. EPA doesn't publish an AQI number for our town. Judging from numbers for adjoining towns, I figure we reached about 205 today (based on 186 to the west and 225 to the east. In the middle of the day, it was overcast with only hints of sun peaking through. I don't think any of that was clouds. Tomorrow is expected to be slightly worse.  In this stuff, I get nauseous  just puttering around in the back yard. It's not because I'm in such horrible shape. On most days I walk 5-7 miles. Not today.

Where in the east bay? I was fine biking to/from work in Oakland and Hayward.

[stupac2]

If the air quality worsens tomorrow, I cannot see putting on sporting events. The fine particulate matter in the air will go deep into the players lungs and can even get into the blood. It will slow them down long after the game. Why risk the players' health?

In the East Bay, we have been dealing with air worse than I have seen in 30 years here. EPA doesn't publish an AQI number for our town. Judging from numbers for adjoining towns, I figure we reached about 205 today (based on 186 to the west and 225 to the east. In the middle of the day, it was overcast with only hints of sun peaking through. I don't think any of that was clouds. Tomorrow is expected to be slightly worse.  In this stuff, I get nauseous  just puttering around in the back yard. It's not because I'm in such horrible shape. On most days I walk 5-7 miles. Not today.

Where in the east bay? I was fine biking to/from work in Oakland and Hayward.

[Phogge]

The visibility on Inverness Ridge on Monday was about 150 yards. other mornings less than 1/2 mile. Finally this afternoon after gentle winds was able to barely see the range beyond Petaluma for the first time this week. Normally we can view the Mt. St Helena summit.

[Phogge]

The visibility on Inverness Ridge on Monday was about 150 yards. other mornings less than 1/2 mile. Finally this afternoon after gentle winds was able to barely see the range beyond Petaluma for the first time this week. Normally we can view the Mt. St Helena summit.

[81alum]

AQI for Palo Alto today was 108.  Forecast for tomorrow is 165.

Looking at the AQI map right now, paradoxically, it says the air quality up around the fires is better than it is here.  That is actually very bad news--the winds up there are keeping the smoke down here--and of course destroying more homes.

Learned today that the President of Sonoma State lost her home and very nearly her life.  Many faculty up there are in the evacuation zones and expect to come home to ashes.  I guess I can put up with watery eyes from smoke when they are in tears.

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Sonom...268258.php

[81alum]

AQI for Palo Alto today was 108.  Forecast for tomorrow is 165.

Looking at the AQI map right now, paradoxically, it says the air quality up around the fires is better than it is here.  That is actually very bad news--the winds up there are keeping the smoke down here--and of course destroying more homes.

Learned today that the President of Sonoma State lost her home and very nearly her life.  Many faculty up there are in the evacuation zones and expect to come home to ashes.  I guess I can put up with watery eyes from smoke when they are in tears.

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Sonom...268258.php

[Snorlax94]

Agree that this is a great tragedy in the North Bay and out local concerns don'tcompare.

But, especially as it is Homecoming weekend, I still think it's worth trying to understand what's happening on campus.

Where I live the AQI was over 190 and it was bad. It smells like you're six feet away from the active path of a BBQ pit, but everywhere you walk. There is this hazy fog everywhere you look -- this is way beyond LA.

If the AQI is something like this Saturday in Palo Alto, I cannot see how they can play.

Even leading up to the game, I wonder if the team has facilities elsewhere to practice, or can do part indoors.

The good news is that I think today was kind of a freak perfect storm of the winds blowing everything into the peninsula and south bay. The air was worse in San Jose than in Santa Rosa. It's hard to imagine this being the case most days. The air yesterday was fine.

[Snorlax94]

Agree that this is a great tragedy in the North Bay and out local concerns don'tcompare.

But, especially as it is Homecoming weekend, I still think it's worth trying to understand what's happening on campus.

Where I live the AQI was over 190 and it was bad. It smells like you're six feet away from the active path of a BBQ pit, but everywhere you walk. There is this hazy fog everywhere you look -- this is way beyond LA.

If the AQI is something like this Saturday in Palo Alto, I cannot see how they can play.

Even leading up to the game, I wonder if the team has facilities elsewhere to practice, or can do part indoors.

The good news is that I think today was kind of a freak perfect storm of the winds blowing everything into the peninsula and south bay. The air was worse in San Jose than in Santa Rosa. It's hard to imagine this being the case most days. The air yesterday was fine.

[82 Card]

[quote author=82 Card link=topic=17667.msg205850#msg205850 date=1507774650]
If the air quality worsens tomorrow, I cannot see putting on sporting events. The fine particulate matter in the air will go deep into the players lungs and can even get into the blood. It will slow them down long after the game. Why risk the players' health?

In the East Bay, we have been dealing with air worse than I have seen in 30 years here. EPA doesn't publish an AQI number for our town. Judging from numbers for adjoining towns, I figure we reached about 205 today (based on 186 to the west and 225 to the east. In the middle of the day, it was overcast with only hints of sun peaking through. I don't think any of that was clouds. Tomorrow is expected to be slightly worse.  In this stuff, I get nauseous  just puttering around in the back yard. It's not because I'm in such horrible shape. On most days I walk 5-7 miles. Not today.

Where in the east bay? I was fine biking to/from work in Oakland and Hayward.
[/quote]

Orinda. Smoke levels are substantially lower west of the hill. Hayward was in red zone  for only about 6 hours today. Orinda was in red, borderline purple all day. It's possible that you missed the worst of it or that you are iron Man.

For the last several days, the pattern has been for the air to get better at night. After terrible day, everything west of the Oakland hills was shown as yellow by 8 PM. If the pattern continues. Night games may not be a problem.

[82 Card]

[quote author=82 Card link=topic=17667.msg205850#msg205850 date=1507774650]
If the air quality worsens tomorrow, I cannot see putting on sporting events. The fine particulate matter in the air will go deep into the players lungs and can even get into the blood. It will slow them down long after the game. Why risk the players' health?

In the East Bay, we have been dealing with air worse than I have seen in 30 years here. EPA doesn't publish an AQI number for our town. Judging from numbers for adjoining towns, I figure we reached about 205 today (based on 186 to the west and 225 to the east. In the middle of the day, it was overcast with only hints of sun peaking through. I don't think any of that was clouds. Tomorrow is expected to be slightly worse.  In this stuff, I get nauseous  just puttering around in the back yard. It's not because I'm in such horrible shape. On most days I walk 5-7 miles. Not today.

Where in the east bay? I was fine biking to/from work in Oakland and Hayward.
[/quote]

Orinda. Smoke levels are substantially lower west of the hill. Hayward was in red zone  for only about 6 hours today. Orinda was in red, borderline purple all day. It's possible that you missed the worst of it or that you are iron Man.

For the last several days, the pattern has been for the air to get better at night. After terrible day, everything west of the Oakland hills was shown as yellow by 8 PM. If the pattern continues. Night games may not be a problem.

[82 Card]

The Diablo winds are our version of Santa Ana winds. They are fanning the fires and are driving the smoke south. I assume that the forecasts of bad air through Saturday are based on predictions that this pattern will continue for several days.

My experience is that the Diablo winds tend to die down at nightfall, allowing for some on-shore airflow. That's why I'm not too concerned about football and men's soccer, both scheduled for 8PM starts. Women's soccer, scheduled for 6PM, may need to be delayed if the day is as bad as predicted. Regardless of inconvenience, the health of the athletes should come first.

Although the Diablo winds tend to die down or reverse at nightfall, they don't always. Fortunately for me, this did not happen the day of the Oakland hills fire.  That day, we were watching the orange glow on the ridge behind our house expecting it to come charging right at our house if the winds returned to their normal path. Lucky for us, didn't happen. Not so lucky for people to the west.

[82 Card]

The Diablo winds are our version of Santa Ana winds. They are fanning the fires and are driving the smoke south. I assume that the forecasts of bad air through Saturday are based on predictions that this pattern will continue for several days.

My experience is that the Diablo winds tend to die down at nightfall, allowing for some on-shore airflow. That's why I'm not too concerned about football and men's soccer, both scheduled for 8PM starts. Women's soccer, scheduled for 6PM, may need to be delayed if the day is as bad as predicted. Regardless of inconvenience, the health of the athletes should come first.

Although the Diablo winds tend to die down or reverse at nightfall, they don't always. Fortunately for me, this did not happen the day of the Oakland hills fire.  That day, we were watching the orange glow on the ridge behind our house expecting it to come charging right at our house if the winds returned to their normal path. Lucky for us, didn't happen. Not so lucky for people to the west.

[BostonCard]

This is a great wind visualization project.

http://hint.fm/wind/

You can see that right now (well, technically about an hour ago, when they were last updated: 9:37 pacific) winds are coming down from the North and carrying all the smoke from Santa Rosa directly south.

BC

[BostonCard]

This is a great wind visualization project.

http://hint.fm/wind/

You can see that right now (well, technically about an hour ago, when they were last updated: 9:37 pacific) winds are coming down from the North and carrying all the smoke from Santa Rosa directly south.

BC

[unclechuck]

AQI for Palo Alto today was 108.  Forecast for tomorrow is 165.

I think you may be getting your AQI numbers from one of the government sites (or clones) that provide 5 day forecasts or similar. They are are guesses. I checked multiple real-time sites today for 94301 and most of the afternoon the EPA based AQI was in the 180-5 range. Happily, as I write (10:50 PM), the level is down to 59, so clearly your Diablo breezes are effecting a significant and rapid change. How curious it would be if Late Night Larry's miserable kick off time might be a blessing.

See link below for real time numbers.

https://weather.weatherbug.com/life/air-...o-ca-94301

[unclechuck]

AQI for Palo Alto today was 108.  Forecast for tomorrow is 165.

I think you may be getting your AQI numbers from one of the government sites (or clones) that provide 5 day forecasts or similar. They are are guesses. I checked multiple real-time sites today for 94301 and most of the afternoon the EPA based AQI was in the 180-5 range. Happily, as I write (10:50 PM), the level is down to 59, so clearly your Diablo breezes are effecting a significant and rapid change. How curious it would be if Late Night Larry's miserable kick off time might be a blessing.

See link below for real time numbers.

https://weather.weatherbug.com/life/air-...o-ca-94301

[unclechuck]

This is a great wind visualization project.

http://hint.fm/wind/

You can see that right now (well, technically about an hour ago, when they were last updated: 9:37 pacific) winds are coming down from the North and carrying all the smoke from Santa Rosa directly south.

BC

Cool indeed; thanks for link.

[unclechuck]

This is a great wind visualization project.

http://hint.fm/wind/

You can see that right now (well, technically about an hour ago, when they were last updated: 9:37 pacific) winds are coming down from the North and carrying all the smoke from Santa Rosa directly south.

BC

Cool indeed; thanks for link.

[82 Card]

[quote author=81alum link=topic=17667.msg205862#msg205862 date=1507777122]
AQI for Palo Alto today was 108.  Forecast for tomorrow is 165.

I think you may be getting your AQI numbers from one of the government sites (or clones) that provide 5 day forecasts or similar. They are are guesses. I checked multiple real-time sites today for 94301 and most of the afternoon the EPA based AQI was in the 180-5 range. Happily, as I write (10:50 PM), the level is down to 59, so clearly your Diablo breezes are effecting a significant and rapid change. How curious it would be if Late Night Larry's miserable kick off time might be a blessing.

See link below for real time numbers.

https://weather.weatherbug.com/life/air-...o-ca-94301
[/quote]

As far as I can tell, the weather bug data is from the EPA site. The EPA site gives more detail. At the EPA site, you can tell the time of the reading and the zip code that it is from. For my town, weather bug just presents the Oakland hills data without any way of knowing that is what they are doing. The EPA site also has time lapse maps for the Bay Area, including archives.

The link for EPA data for zip code 94305 is:
https://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airn...&submit=Go
It currently says AQI at midnight was 99 but they expect it to go up to 165 during the day. We'll see. It seems that the daily prediction is for a daily high. It does not mean that the air quality will be that bad all day. They leave the daily prediction up all day so you can compare the prediction to the actual measurements, kind of like looking at the morning Wunderground forecast while looking at current temperatures.

[82 Card]

[quote author=81alum link=topic=17667.msg205862#msg205862 date=1507777122]
AQI for Palo Alto today was 108.  Forecast for tomorrow is 165.

I think you may be getting your AQI numbers from one of the government sites (or clones) that provide 5 day forecasts or similar. They are are guesses. I checked multiple real-time sites today for 94301 and most of the afternoon the EPA based AQI was in the 180-5 range. Happily, as I write (10:50 PM), the level is down to 59, so clearly your Diablo breezes are effecting a significant and rapid change. How curious it would be if Late Night Larry's miserable kick off time might be a blessing.

See link below for real time numbers.

https://weather.weatherbug.com/life/air-...o-ca-94301
[/quote]

As far as I can tell, the weather bug data is from the EPA site. The EPA site gives more detail. At the EPA site, you can tell the time of the reading and the zip code that it is from. For my town, weather bug just presents the Oakland hills data without any way of knowing that is what they are doing. The EPA site also has time lapse maps for the Bay Area, including archives.

The link for EPA data for zip code 94305 is:
https://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airn...&submit=Go
It currently says AQI at midnight was 99 but they expect it to go up to 165 during the day. We'll see. It seems that the daily prediction is for a daily high. It does not mean that the air quality will be that bad all day. They leave the daily prediction up all day so you can compare the prediction to the actual measurements, kind of like looking at the morning Wunderground forecast while looking at current temperatures.

[SF_Cardinal_Fan]

Bay Area airports are having issues, including cancelled flights. Would Oregon normally fly in today, Thursday, for a Saturday night game ?

[SF_Cardinal_Fan]

Bay Area airports are having issues, including cancelled flights. Would Oregon normally fly in today, Thursday, for a Saturday night game ?

[stupac2]

Orinda. Smoke levels are substantially lower west of the hill. Hayward was in red zone  for only about 6 hours today. Orinda was in red, borderline purple all day. It's possible that you missed the worst of it or that you are iron Man.

For the last several days, the pattern has been for the air to get better at night. After terrible day, everything west of the Oakland hills was shown as yellow by 8 PM. If the pattern continues. Night games may not be a problem.

I wore a mask today. The smell had really died down after Monday, but it was back with a vengeance today and this is nothing to mess with. I can't even begin to imagine actually being at the center of it...

[stupac2]

Orinda. Smoke levels are substantially lower west of the hill. Hayward was in red zone  for only about 6 hours today. Orinda was in red, borderline purple all day. It's possible that you missed the worst of it or that you are iron Man.

For the last several days, the pattern has been for the air to get better at night. After terrible day, everything west of the Oakland hills was shown as yellow by 8 PM. If the pattern continues. Night games may not be a problem.

I wore a mask today. The smell had really died down after Monday, but it was back with a vengeance today and this is nothing to mess with. I can't even begin to imagine actually being at the center of it...

[oldalum]

at 9 a.m., air quality in Palo Alto = 155 (unhealthy; reduce outdoor exertion)

[oldalum]

at 9 a.m., air quality in Palo Alto = 155 (unhealthy; reduce outdoor exertion)

[Farm93]

UCB and WSU play on Friday night at UCB.  I suspect that is the game that really worries the Pac-12 right now since many school districts near UCB are closed today and the air quality is not expected to be better tomorrow in that area.

Stanford plays 24 hours later in an area that is not quite as close or down wind.

[Farm93]

UCB and WSU play on Friday night at UCB.  I suspect that is the game that really worries the Pac-12 right now since many school districts near UCB are closed today and the air quality is not expected to be better tomorrow in that area.

Stanford plays 24 hours later in an area that is not quite as close or down wind.

[Phogge]

Absolutely no wind on the Pacific Plate. Looking towards Valley of the Moon at 9:14 cannot see the ridge to the East of Petaluma. Coast Range on the NA Plate is somewhat obscured. Smoke layer about 1200' above Olema Valley, blue sky above that. Right now the smoke is going nowhere. If the unthinkable happens and the fire moves south down the VOTM and jumps the ridge there is plenty of flat land east of Petaluma to bulldoze a wide fire break and set a backfire. That's what finally stopped the Vision Fire in '95 on Limantour Road. Given the wind forecast for Saturday the air quality at Stanford Stadium should be poor.

[Phogge]

Absolutely no wind on the Pacific Plate. Looking towards Valley of the Moon at 9:14 cannot see the ridge to the East of Petaluma. Coast Range on the NA Plate is somewhat obscured. Smoke layer about 1200' above Olema Valley, blue sky above that. Right now the smoke is going nowhere. If the unthinkable happens and the fire moves south down the VOTM and jumps the ridge there is plenty of flat land east of Petaluma to bulldoze a wide fire break and set a backfire. That's what finally stopped the Vision Fire in '95 on Limantour Road. Given the wind forecast for Saturday the air quality at Stanford Stadium should be poor.

[CowboyIndian]

Wind...at least up here in Shasta County...has moved into the NW so that might make a difference if it holds through the fire areas. But it's still going to be strong. I don't know what the predictions are for the Napa-Sonoma area but we are expecting 30-35 knots and you can usually bump that up quite a bit when it hits those north bay mountains.

[CowboyIndian]

Wind...at least up here in Shasta County...has moved into the NW so that might make a difference if it holds through the fire areas. But it's still going to be strong. I don't know what the predictions are for the Napa-Sonoma area but we are expecting 30-35 knots and you can usually bump that up quite a bit when it hits those north bay mountains.

[terry]

According to this article, the NCAA specifies that there should be no practice or competition with AQI at 200 or more. Below 200, there seems to be some discretion. Current AQI around Stanford is reportedly 165. It's supposed to be about 152 on Friday.

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/10/12/ho...s-weekend/

[terry]

According to this article, the NCAA specifies that there should be no practice or competition with AQI at 200 or more. Below 200, there seems to be some discretion. Current AQI around Stanford is reportedly 165. It's supposed to be about 152 on Friday.

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/10/12/ho...s-weekend/

[Spiny_Norman]

Here is the full NCAA guidance to member schools on air quality

http://www.ncaa.org/sport-science-institute/air-quality

[Spiny_Norman]

Here is the full NCAA guidance to member schools on air quality

http://www.ncaa.org/sport-science-institute/air-quality

[Card Fan in OR]

Here in southern Oregon we had air quality in, at, around, and over the 200 level for most of the summer. It got pretty depressing. I looked into how to abate the smoke risk to lungs, etc. I found some good info posted by local groups. I can dig it up and link it if anyone is interested. Mostly involves things like wearing certain NIOSH masks. They state that, properly fitted, they block 95% of particulate particles down to 3 microns (??). They are paper-like and inexpensive.

Although we lost lots and lots of acreage to the fires, to the best of my knowledge, there was no loss of life and relatively few structures lost, so nothing like the horrific tragedy in the north Bay. My thoughts are with everyone affected.

Personal Note. My 22-year old son is a wildlands firefighter. He fought mostly local (Oregon) fires from mid-July until he went back to school in late September, with barely a mandatory 2 day furlough every two weeks. He would be humiliated if he knew I were posting this, but he and his crew saved a number of houses. I am so proud of him and his work.

[Card Fan in OR]

Here in southern Oregon we had air quality in, at, around, and over the 200 level for most of the summer. It got pretty depressing. I looked into how to abate the smoke risk to lungs, etc. I found some good info posted by local groups. I can dig it up and link it if anyone is interested. Mostly involves things like wearing certain NIOSH masks. They state that, properly fitted, they block 95% of particulate particles down to 3 microns (??). They are paper-like and inexpensive.

Although we lost lots and lots of acreage to the fires, to the best of my knowledge, there was no loss of life and relatively few structures lost, so nothing like the horrific tragedy in the north Bay. My thoughts are with everyone affected.

Personal Note. My 22-year old son is a wildlands firefighter. He fought mostly local (Oregon) fires from mid-July until he went back to school in late September, with barely a mandatory 2 day furlough every two weeks. He would be humiliated if he knew I were posting this, but he and his crew saved a number of houses. I am so proud of him and his work.

[Row80Critic]

For what it's worth, there seems to be much less visible smoke (and smoke smell) in the area today.  Assume that's just how the wind happens to be blowing at any given moment...

[Row80Critic]

For what it's worth, there seems to be much less visible smoke (and smoke smell) in the area today.  Assume that's just how the wind happens to be blowing at any given moment...