Air quality in Anaheim.

[Kramerica]

I know you guys are suffering from wild fires and smoke just like we are here in the Pacific Northwest. Last year it was raining ash on us, so I’m not afraid of a little smoke, but it would be nice to enjoy the parks without it lookin like Mt. Doom in the sky. I’ll be heading out to Disneyland late next week. What’s the air quality been like, beyond the normal smog that Los Angeles produces? Is there a way to keep tabs on the air quality in the area?

 

[nevol]

I know you guys are suffering from wild fires and smoke just like we are here in the Pacific Northwest. Last year it was raining ash on us, so I’m not afraid of a little smoke, but it would be nice to enjoy the parks without it lookin like Mt. Doom in the sky. I’ll be heading out to Disneyland late next week. What’s the air quality been like, beyond the normal smog that Los Angeles produces? Is there a way to keep tabs on the air quality in the area?

Just look at the weather forecast on your phone. It is sunny every day. 2 of the next 10 days are completely sunny. We've had some humidity in la this week, and I can only tell because I can't see as far as usual, but the sky still looks a pale blue. Those fires up north are not affecting LA the way those local fires were making the sky orange 2 summers ago. I'm not anticipating you'll have anything but blue skies and some morning fog! Have fun.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

 

[Phroobar]

I thought according to Disneyland's Flight to the Moon that smog was eliminated from southern California back in the early 80's. It is a lot less than it was back when I was a kid.

 

[Master Yoda]

I thought according to Disneyland's Flight to the Moon that smog was eliminated from southern California back in the early 80's. It is a lot less than it was back when I was a kid.

Disney's estimates were a little too optimistic.

Last I heard, the current goal was to be smog free around 2030ish. Like you said, it is better, but I still think LA ranks as the worst air quality in the US.

 

[Stevek]

It's all good, we were at DTD yesterday with no issues. I actually live about 3-5 miles from where the fires were and the AQ is just fine here.

 

[SuddenStorm]

Here ya go.

 

[Phroobar]

Disney's estimates were a little too optimistic.

Last I heard, the current goal was to be smog free around 2030ish. Like you said, it is better, but I still think LA ranks as the worst air quality in the US.

True but it is still no where as bad as cities in China and India. In fact, we actually get some of their smog due to the way the wind patterns blow.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

True but it is still no where as bad as cities in China and India. In fact, we actually get some of their smog due to the way the wind patterns blow.

Wouldn't hurt for them to plant a few billion trees

 

[Master Yoda]

True but it is still no where as bad as cities in China and India. In fact, we actually get some of their smog due to the way the wind patterns blow.

Quite true.

People always complain about laws, regulations and the like, but could you imagine what the air quality in LA would be like without them?

 

[Phroobar]

Quite true.

People always complain about laws, regulations and the like, but could you imagine what the air quality in LA would be like without them?

With the weather patterns and the mountains behind us, smog just collects. Bakersfield and Phoenix Arizona are getting pretty bad.

 

[Phroobar]

LA would look like something out of Oliver Twist. Lots of smoke and grim everywhere.

 

[TROR]

Quite true.

People always complain about laws, regulations and the like, but could you imagine what the air quality in LA would be like without them?

Laws are stupid but local laws and state laws are preferable to federal laws. Having California say "yo, no more smog or you'll be jailed" while allowing me to go to Arizona where I can produce as much smog as I please is what America's all about.

 

[TP2000]

I thought according to Disneyland's Flight to the Moon that smog was eliminated from southern California back in the early 80's. It is a lot less than it was back when I was a kid.

That's actually one of Tomorrowland's predictions that came true, although it was really the early 1990's when it happened consistently. But air pollution began declining in the 1970's, and Anaheim hasn't had a Smog Alert Day since the 1990's. Do kids today even know what a Smog Alert is??? I doubt it.

The green graph in front is the number of "Smog Alert" days per year, something that hasn't existed in 20 years now.

That's not to say there isn't still particulate matter in the air. A geographic basin surrounded by 10,000 foot mountains and home to 15 Million people is never going to be perfect. Even when it was just the Gabrieleno Indians here 500 years ago, the smoke from their campfires would be caught in the basin and cause a smoky haze during natural inversion weather.

Curently in mid afternoon in Anaheim today, a late summer afternoon where it is currently 84 degrees with a light sea breeze, the air quality is exceptionally good at 19 out of 500.

 

[TP2000]

Here's a fun game, the current Air Quality Ratings for major Western cities, per Google. On a sliding scale of 1 to 500, with 1 being the Garden of Eden, and 500 being the surface of Venus or Beijing on a Tuesday.

Right now at 7:45pm on a warm August evening we have...

Anaheim = 15 Good, Main Pollutant Nitrogen Oxide (the planet earth)
San Francisco = 74 Moderate, Main Pollutant Particulate Matter (smoke)
Portland = 165 Unhealthy, Main Pollutant Particulate Matter (smoke)
Seattle = 143 Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups, Main Pollutant Particulate Matter (smoke)
Boise = 9 Good, Main Pollutant Carbon Monoxide (cars)
Salt Lake City = 54 Moderate, Main Pollutant Ozone (cars, industry)
Las Vegas = 22 Good, Main Pollutant Nitrogen Oxide (the planet earth)

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

I just want to add that it smells bad around the resort.

 

[TP2000]

I just want to add that it smells bad around the resort.

It's August. That's a combination of fireworks fallout, burnt churros, and European tourist body odor. It will clear a few days after Labor Day.

Hang in there.

 

[Rich T]

I worked at Universal Studios in the mid-1980's. On really bad smog days, you could not see the lower lot from the upper lot--just a haze surrounding everything. We'd come out of the break room and our eyes would sting and water. I'm not exaggerating.

 

[TP2000]

I worked at Universal Studios in the mid-1980's. On really bad smog days, you could not see the lower lot from the upper lot--just a haze surrounding everything. We'd come out of the break room and our eyes would sting and water. I'm not exaggerating.

I'm from the 20th century too, and I remember the stinging lungs of the 1960's and 70's. The worst days were called Smog Alert days, and schools would keep kids indoors, hospitals and nursing homes would close all the windows, etc. Bob Penfield, Disneyland's official photographer from 1955 through the 1990's gave a talk at a Disney fan convention in the 1990's and he said his biggest problem with taking official photos of Disneyland in the 50's, 60's and 70's was the smog and the brown sky. For photos and postcards they would have to airbrush in a blue sky and airbrush out the smog.

It makes me chuckle when folks under 40 pretend to complain about "smog" in the 2010's. They have no idea what they are talking about. In the 20th century you'd rarely see the Brea Hills from Disneyland, much less the San Gabriel Mountains like you often do today...

Meanwhile, in Communist China where smog still exists, they have a hard time seeing down to the end of Main Street.

 

[Texas84]

It's beautiful here in Georgia. Plenty of rain, everything is deep green, the lakes and streams are all full. Kind of humid though.