Utah Air Quality

As you may know, the air quality in Utah this time of year tends to be pretty atrocious!  An inversion is when normal conditions are inverted and a layer of warm air traps a layer of cold air in the valley.  The warm air is like a lid and traps polluted air near the valley floor.  This will stick around until wind or a storm come through to clear it out.  The longer the inversion stays, the more polluted the air become.  This usually happens in Utah between December and February.

While there are not laws requiring schools to keep kids inside during air action days, the health department has set up guidelines or recommendations for schools on these days. 

Here is the link that shows the recommendations for schools:
http://www.health.utah.gov/asthma/pdf_files/Air_Quality/guidance_jan08.pdf

This link will show you the current air quality conditions by county:
http://www.airquality.utah.gov/aqp/slc-currentconditions.html

There is also a local group called Utah Moms for Clean Air who are advocates for the quality of air for children.  They are hosting a hands-on workshop "How to Grow Clean Air" for both kids and adults.  They will have Dr. Brian Moence (Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment) and Cherise Udell (Utah Moms for Clean Air).  It will be held this Thursday, February 3rd from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at Cactus and Tropicals (2735 S 2000 E).  You can get more information on this workshop, as well as other information on air quality:
http://blog.utahmomsforcleanair.org/  

As you can see, there are many great resource for you to get information regarding the air quality in Utah!  If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact your physician.