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Air clears in North Okanagan, dust advisory lifted

Levels in Vernon still well above those in neighbouring Kelowna
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While Vernon’s air pollution has failed to settle to levels of Kelowna, the air has cleared enough to call of a recent advisory.

The Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the Interior Health Authority has ended the Air Quality Advisory that was issued March 19 for Vernon due to elevated concentrations of dust. Conditions have improved across the region.

The provincial air quality objective for PM10, is 50 micrograms per cubic metre (μg/m3), averaged over 24 hours.

The 24-hour average PM10 concentrations as of March 24 at 12 p.m. in Vernon were 40, while they were 14.6 in Kelowna.

That is an improvement from just one day prior when levels were 50 in Vernon and 27.4 in Kelowna.

READ MORE: Vernon air quality nearly twice as bad as Kelowna

“The hourly average values of PM10 in Vernon are significantly lower and the air quality continues to improve,” said Graham Veale, air quality meteorologist.

City of Vernon street sweeping crews have been out Tuesday, March 23 and applying water during the process.

Real-time air quality observations and information regarding the health effects of air pollution can be found at https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/air-land-water/air.

READ MORE: Dust advisory in effect for Vernon


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Jennifer Smith

About the Author: Jennifer Smith

Vernon has always been my home, and I've been working at The Morning Star since 2004.
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