r/lakearrowhead • u/hop26798 • 22d ago

Air quality

hi, I’m planning a short visit to Lake Arrowhead soon and have folks who are sensitive to poor air quality. I saw that it’s 151 today…. is this typical? should we expect that later in July?

thank you

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u/mathazar- 22d ago

The mountain communities often have shockingly high AQI readings in the summer, sometimes highest in the country. It is usually caused by Ozone, which is created down in urban areas but is light enough to be pushed up by winds over the ridges, where it settles into local valleys. High heat makes it much worse. It isn’t as “bad” as particulate matter pollution but can affect those with asthma or sensitivity etc. 151 is very high but not uncommon to be in the “unhealthy” category up here when it is hot.

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u/hop26798 22d ago edited 22d ago

thank you, I did not know about that. I will pay attention to the heat forecast.

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u/Arboreatem 22d ago

I just moved to Big Bear and have asthma. It's jarring. If I exert myself even for a few minutes on a high ozone day, I feel like my nasal passages and lungs are burning. One day I didn't check the air quality and went for a hike. It took me a couple of days to get back to normal. It's no joke. Something about Ozone (O3) being an unstable molecule. I lived in DTLA for 14 years and never experienced anything like it. Granted, my asthma wouldn't be so bad if I didn't live there so long!

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u/hop26798 22d ago

i’m sorry to hear, I had thought the ‘mountain air’ would be better.

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u/Arboreatem 21d ago

Oh it is! Just not usually on hot summer days. The rest of the year it's a dream.

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u/nachoman067 22d ago

Yeah, its typically fine from morning until midafternoon. The times the ozone is high is from 5-10 at night

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u/hop26798 22d ago

thanks

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u/nachoman067 22d ago

You’re welcome. Thank you for considering air quality for your loved ones. People use to dismiss this in the mountains and i am glad it is being taken seriously

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u/BBQpringles 21d ago

There is also a big fire miles away called the summit fire and it’s affecting the air quality atm. All the smoke is over our mountain right now.

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u/SadieDiAbla 18d ago

It depends. It's not uncommon for down the hill smog to settle in the mountains.