Air Quality Hurt By Gusty Winds

Fri., Sept. 1, 2000

From Staff

Gusty winds blowing dust off Eastern Washington fields Thursday afternoon made for hazy skies in North Idaho. Air quality - while not entering potentially dangerous levels - dropped through the afternoon, according to Idaho Department of Environmental Quality monitors.

Staff members at DEQ blamed winds gusting from the southwest at up to 25 mph.

“I imagine the winds are just picking up and moving soils from any exposed fields,” said Dan Redline, DEQ’s air quality manager in Coeur d’Alene. “We just happen to be downwind.”

Dust particles can trigger asthma or other health problems in people with respiratory problems.

State gauges measured one-hour levels in Coeur d’Alene at 70 micrograms per cubic meter, far below the 150 trigger level for air quality warnings, but more than twice the usual levels this time of year. Forecasted rain showers were expected to hold down particulate levels today.

Last September, loose soils blowing off Palouse and Columbia Basin wheat fields whipped up a shower of dust from Spokane to Coeur d’Alene. “Hopefully it won’t be as bad as last year,” Redline said.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.