The Weather Channel

[sebby]

One of the main reasons I moved back to Portland 3 years ago was the weather.

The fucking irony.

[Armoreska]

One of the main reasons I moved back to Portland 3 years ago was the weather.

The fucking irony.

You're in Portland? I'm kinna jealous. (I basically live in the constant factory smoke anyway)

[xianjiro]

One of the main reasons I moved back to Portland 3 years ago was the weather.

The fucking irony.

So how are you coping with the horrid air? I've just stayed inside as much as possible. Of course the dog still needs to go out, but as soon as he's done, it's back inside with the HEPA filter running. (I'm so tired of that noise and it makes it harder to hear movies. )

I'm just hoping for a good rain tonight/tomorrow.

[sebby]

One of the main reasons I moved back to Portland 3 years ago was the weather.

The fucking irony.

So how are you coping with the horrid air? I've just stayed inside as much as possible. Of course the dog still needs to go out, but as soon as he's done, it's back inside with the HEPA filter running. (I'm so tired of that noise and it makes it harder to hear movies. )

I'm just hoping for a good rain tonight/tomorrow.

It's been rough. I ordered an air purifier but it isn't getting here til Friday. I've been hunkered down at home most of the last 5 days. Windows are completely sealed and covered up so it looks like night all the time in here. Smell of smoke still finds its way in. I don't mean to be too dramatic but at times it feels like experiencing a low level psychological and physical trauma in slow motion. I do feel lucky being 35 and generally healthy rather than elderly or having underlying issues like copd, asthma, heart disease. And also being in Portland proper one is generally insulated from true wildfire anxiety. Been thinking of maybe finding a hotel that has cleaner air and staying there through the week even though I can't really afford it.

Today's revised forecast was also a shot to the gut.

[maxwelldeux]

One of the main reasons I moved back to Portland 3 years ago was the weather.

The fucking irony.

So how are you coping with the horrid air? I've just stayed inside as much as possible. Of course the dog still needs to go out, but as soon as he's done, it's back inside with the HEPA filter running. (I'm so tired of that noise and it makes it harder to hear movies. )

I'm just hoping for a good rain tonight/tomorrow.

It's been rough. I ordered an air purifier but it isn't getting here til Friday. I've been hunkered down at home most of the last 5 days. Windows are completely sealed and covered up so it looks like night all the time in here. Smell of smoke still finds its way in. I don't mean to be too dramatic but at times it feels like experiencing a low level psychological and physical trauma in slow motion. I do feel lucky being 35 and generally healthy rather than elderly or having underlying issues like copd, asthma, heart disease. And also being in Portland proper one is generally insulated from true wildfire anxiety. Been thinking of maybe finding a hotel that has cleaner air and staying there through the week even though I can't really afford it.

Today's revised forecast was also a shot to the gut.

I have significantly higher quality air than y'all, but it's still not good. I can smell smoke. It's a little hazy. The problem is that the air is affecting me - I did some yoga Saturday, but I ended up breathing hard enough that it wiped me out the rest of the day and all day Sunday. Felt like I wasn't quite able to catch my breath the whole time. Better today, but still not ideal. We dipped up into "hazardous" today for the first time I've seen, so that's fun. It's just hilarious when the forecast is basically "Don't go outside. Also, try to breathe as little as possible. If you can, travel hundreds of miles away."

[xianjiro]

Right now my air quality is "327 Hazardous" and Portland is "480 Hazardous" - for those not familiar with the rating, it stops at 500. Both these readings are considered unsafe for everyone.

Yeah, I've tried to do as little as possible since even if we can't see it, I am told there's plenty of crap in the air that will make it into the bloodstream. Enough starts to affect the heart though I'm unclear why and how.

Not sure where'd you go, Sebby: it's not like clear air is just around the bend. Best I can read the maps, looks like SE Idaho, much of central Nevada, or Salt Lake City. What are you seeing the forecast? I'm seeing lots of chance for rain (though that can bring lightning to the Cascades).

[Armoreska]

Right now my air quality is "327 Hazardous" and Portland is "480 Hazardous"

Yeesh. I sometimes get my room smoked up by neighbors burning leaves.

[Armoreska]

If I were stuck in a fire, I would just ask acquaintances to go stay with them in other cities until it clears up.

[sebby]

Right now my air quality is "327 Hazardous" and Portland is "480 Hazardous" - for those not familiar with the rating, it stops at 500. Both these readings are considered unsafe for everyone.

Yeah, I've tried to do as little as possible since even if we can't see it, I am told there's plenty of crap in the air that will make it into the bloodstream. Enough starts to affect the heart though I'm unclear why and how.

Not sure where'd you go, Sebby: it's not like clear air is just around the bend. Best I can read the maps, looks like SE Idaho, much of central Nevada, or Salt Lake City. What are you seeing the forecast? I'm seeing lots of chance for rain (though that can bring lightning to the Cascades).

Weekend forecast was very positive. More rain, smoke dissipating Mon/Tues, etc. That's on hold, it seems, through the end of the week maybe. What I have learned is that forecasting air quality is near impossible. Everyone's been wrong. Best they can do is maybe give you an idea of the next 12-24 hours. AQI numbers are also all over the place. Portland at the moment is somewhere between 360 and 495, depending where you look.

[xianjiro]

If I were stuck in a fire, I would just ask acquaintances to go stay with them in other cities until it clears up.

thing is, one would have to travel hundreds of kilometres to get away from the smoke - Hawaii might be about right

[Armoreska]

Yeah, Utah or North Dakota I guess

[maxwelldeux]

If I were stuck in a fire, I would just ask acquaintances to go stay with them in other cities until it clears up.

thing is, one would have to travel hundreds of kilometres to get away from the smoke - Hawaii might be about right

Yeah - and with everyone you're responsible for. Wife, 2 dogs, 1 cat. Hop in the car, drive ~18 consecutive hours east, and I'll have decent quality air. That would put me in Wyoming, where all I have to do is avoid people and COVID.

[xianjiro]

Yeah, pretty insane how much area is covered by the smoke, though today we've move up the scale to only 'Unhealthy'. Portland is still 'Very Unhealthy.'

Didn't seem much of the rain.

[maxwelldeux]

Yeah, pretty insane how much area is covered by the smoke, though today we've move up the scale to only 'Unhealthy'. Portland is still 'Very Unhealthy.'

Didn't seem much of the rain.

I was hoping it would have more of an effect - we had a sprinkle this morning, but it did nothing for the air.

And this is probably the best map I've seen on the air quality: https://gispub.epa.gov/airnow/?tab=0&cl ... layer=none

[xianjiro]

So, around 5pm my likelihood of precip zooms to 98%.

waiting ... .🥱🌧

[xianjiro]

Had .08" of rain overnight. Not a lot. Won't do much for the plants, but it has helped the air (as well as the change in prevailing winds). We're almost to "Moderate", so just barely still in the "Unhealthy for Sensitive" category. Will probably take the dog for a stroll later. I know he's desperate to get out and go hunt. He's been a bid odd cooped up for this long after we'd been enjoy the late summer night to get out and go all over town.

Lots of thunder last night. Didn't see any lightning here. Been monitoring the news to see if there are reports of lightning fires - none yet.

How are things for you guys?

[maxwelldeux]

How are things for you guys?

We're also down into the "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" category, and the forecast is to rain all day, but we've yet to see a drop. I'm waiting/hoping for more...

[xianjiro]

We're at good - 22 locally and about 33 points below Portland though I've no idea where in Portland that reading is taken. (I do know where the local site is.)

We had a thunderstorm/squall move through this afternoon. Since the rains started in earnest about 24 hours ago, we've had about a third of an inch which is good news as it was getting pretty dry. Might see some more Saturday, but then we dry back out and temps should be normal. Low to mid 70s rocks my world. Great weather for opening windows, going for a walk, and getting lots of fresh air.

Thought it was strange, but this afternoon is the first time I felt some difficulty breathing. No idea what that was about.

Still no word of lightning caused fires though I haven't tried real hard to find them. I figure if they haven't made the news then any that might have started couldn't be all that bad. Let's hope.

I guess it's still pretty rough in CA though.

[maxwelldeux]

Ditto here - Down to a 26, so air is "good" again. Rain has also been helpful.

[Armoreska]

10news.com/news/local-news/in-depth-why-la-nina-could-make-wildfire-season-worse

conditions are in place for a La Niña weather pattern in the fall and winter of 2020-21.
Southern California typically sees less rain during La Niña years.