It is that time of year when we can get these heat waves that really make it quite unhealthy for some of us to breath. The local weather stations are forecasting the three H’s, hazy hot & humid so the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection has issued this all important warning.

By Rick Kratzke

Info courtesy of the CT. DEP:

Beginning tomorrow, Friday, July 18, 2008 through Sunday, July 20, 2008 the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is forecasting unhealthy air quality due to elevated concentrations of ground-level ozone and particle pollution for the entire State.

A forecast ranging from “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” (Code Orange) to “Unhealthy” (Code Red) will be issued due to high concentrations of ground-level ozone and particle pollution for Friday through Sunday. Since forecasting began in 2008 for ground-level ozone, Connecticut has exceeded the 8-hour new ozone (stricter) standard 15 days.

On Monday, July 28, air quality is expected to improve due to a forecast of showers and thunderstorms in the region.

Link to current Air Quality Levels in CT: http://www.epa.gov/airnow/current/ct-aqi_current_hour.gif

Weather Summary:

A ridge of high pressure to the south and southeast of Connecticut, will allow for southwesterly surface winds into the state. These surface winds transport elevated levels of ozone and particle pollution into Connecticut.

A high pressure system promotes stagnant air in the boundary layer, with little vertical mixing of the air mass. This allows pollutants to become trapped near the ground. Intense sunlight reacts with NOx and VOC’s to form ozone pollution. Particulate Matter comes from sources such as motor vehicles, wood smoke and industrial processes.

Health Effects:

Anyone can be affected by ozone, but groups particularly sensitive include children and adults who are active outdoors, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma. Sensitive people who experience effects at lower ozone concentrations are likely to experience more serious effects at higher concentrations.

Very small particles are of concern because they can travel into the respiratory system and be deposited deep in the lungs. Exposure to elevated particulate levels can increase the likelihood of respiratory symptoms in sensitive individuals, aggravate heart or lung disease and cause premature death in persons with cardiopulmonary disease and the elderly.

Actions You Can Take to Improve Air Quality:

• Avoid mowing lawns with gasoline powered mowers
• Carpool and/or take public transportation, when possible
• Avoid refueling vehicles until after dusk
• Conserve electricity and set air conditioners to 78°F

This is something that I don’t think a lot of us think about and in this day and age of disease’s and illness’s we should all be cautious especially those who head for the outdoors. Between summer activities like fishing, biking, backyard BBQ’s, lawn maintenance not to mention scouting for hunting season and tree stand placement and periodically checking those all important Trail Cam Monitors you never know what kinds of skeeters are lurking around waiting to bite.

I know that this year could potentially be a bad year for Mosquito’s because of all the rain we have been getting at least here in the Northeast. I know I practically got eaten alive during Turkey season. This short article from the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection just goes to show that these pests can be  dangerous.

By: Rick Kratzke

Photo from: Google Images

The State Mosquito Management Program today announced that mosquitoes trapped in Stamford on July 7, 2008 have tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). These are the first WNV-positive mosquitoes identified in Stamford by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) this year.

So far this summer, positive mosquitoes have been identified in three towns – Bridgeport, Stamford and Stonington. The infected mosquito species trapped in Stamford was Culex pipiens, a common mosquito species found in residential areas and one of the species that is responsible for spreading WNV in Connecticut. During 2007, WNV was identified in mosquitoes in 18 towns.

“The isolations of West Nile virus from Culex mosquitoes in three towns and the expected warm weather are reasons to believe that the virus is building across the state,” said Theodore G. Andreadis, Ph.D., Chief Medical Entomologist, CAES. “We will continue to monitor mosquitoes through the summer and fall and ask property owners to reduce mosquito breeding areas.”

To monitor WNV, the CAES maintains a network of 91 mosquito-trapping stations in 72 municipalities throughout the state from June through October. Mosquito traps are set every ten days at each site on a rotating basis. Mosquitoes are grouped (pooled) for testing according to species, collection site, and date.

“We are fortunate that Connecticut has the ability to conduct statewide monitoring of mosquito transmitted diseases,” said J. Robert Galvin, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A, Department of Public Health (DPH) Commissioner. “Announcements alerting the public to important findings should be taken seriously. The DPH is asking residents to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites especially the elderly living in areas where WNV is identified.”

For information on West Nile virus and what you can do to prevent getting bitten by mosquitoes, visit the Connecticut Mosquito Management Program Web site at www.ct.gov/mosquito