Dear editor,
My viewpoint of the smog situation in the Comox Valley is weather-related to how the mountain range at the ocean shoreline affects the Valley.
Firstly, at the ocean shorelines there is a down-draft, causing an invisible wall.
Secondly, from Forbidden Plateau and Mount Washington mountain area there is another down-draft that moves through the Black Creek/Oyster River area and out into the ocean. These two down-drafts trap any air conditions in the Valley from escaping or dissipating.
Thirdly, most of the smog in the Valley comes from some of it flowing in between the shoreline and the mountains. This is the dominant air current on most days. This air current can be seen best in the morning around 8 a.m. when there is good visibility of the mountains from Buckley Bay to Cumberland. From a viewpoint like the Comox Marina at 7 a.m. the air will be clear. At about 9 a.m. the smog from the south can be seen moving in. You can actually see this smog move northward into the Valley at about 10 a.m. The difference between summer air quality from winter is the temperatures. In the summer, late at night when the Valley cools down, the temperature becomes closer to that in the mountains. These down-drafts fade and the smog moves out and dissipates. The rain also brings down the smog. In the winter, the down-drafts persist longer. If you talk to any small craft airplane pilots who have flying experience flying between the Valley and Campbell River they will confirm flying into these down-drafts. To conclude, although chimney smoke affects nearby neighbours, the number of houses using wood for heat doesn’t make much of a difference towards smog in the Valley.
The only answer I have is to address the smog coming in from the south.
Bob Johnston
Comox Valley
