Issued for La Plata County
Issued at 7:00 AM MDT, Wednesday, May 25, 2022
Issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Affected Area: La Plata County. Locations include, but are not limited to, Durango.
Advisory in Effect: 7:00 AM MDT, Wednesday, May 25, 2022 to 9:00 AM MDT, Thursday, May 26, 2022.
Public Health Recommendations: If smoke is thick or becomes thick in your neighborhood you may want to remain indoors. This is especially true for those with heart disease, respiratory illnesses, the very young, and the elderly. Consider limiting outdoor activity when moderate to heavy smoke is present. Consider relocating temporarily if smoke is present indoors and is making you ill. If visibility is less than 5 miles in smoke in your neighborhood, smoke has reached levels that are unhealthy.
Outlook: Moderate to heavy smoke from the Perins Peak wildfire can be expected in Durango early Wednesday morning. Air quality will gradually improve by late Wednesday morning as atmospheric mixing increases and smoke lifts into the atmosphere. By Wednesday afternoon, some smoke impacts will be possible downwind of the fire in central and southern La Plata County, possibly impacting Oxford and parts of the Southern Ute Reservation. However, any smoke impacts in that area should be fairly brief. By late Wednesday evening, smoke will begin to drain to lower elevations bringing heavy smoke again to Durango through early Thursday morning.
Earlier today, the smoke was mainly affecting the western portions of Durango in town. A monitor on w 3rd was showing readings between 100 and 185. More than likely a quick change in the wind direction has improved the quality for now (7:45 am).
Hi, could you define drainage winds.
Drainage winds are down-sloping winds that transport cooler air from the higher elevations to the lower elevations. That is why their directions are mixed based on a particular location. In the absence of any storms, they usually occur here in the morning.