vog and which subdivisions get it worse.

[julieb]

Lower Leilani: Vog is rarely any factor at all here.

[missydog1]

Hawi, Kapa'au, and Hamakua will almost never have vog.
I spend a lot of time in Hawi, and the vog tends to head north towards Maui. Upolu Point is the dividing line, and Hawi is just past that, and might get a touch during the worst kona winds. I have actually never seen it wrap around Upolu and get to Kapa'au, but if it ever does it's much much rarer than vog anywhere else.

Waimea and Waikoloa do get vog because sometimes the winds push vog through the Saddle. I used to live in Waikoloa Village and left because between the dust and the vog and the winds, my lungs were trashed. BUT it was better than Kona.

Whatever is left in the vog by the time it gets to Kona, it often makes me cough.

I have a friend who lives in HOVE and works in Honaunau, and says home is no big deal but work is terrible. But HOVE is large and probably has microclimates.

I live north of Hilo seven miles and even when I see it flow into Hilo from my house, it usually doesn't get up to me. There were maybe 2-3 days this year that it did, when Puna and Hilo districts were blanketed.

I too feel bad for the people of Ka'u, especially Pahala.

[Hotzcatz]

Hamakua gets vog, too. Sometimes we can barely see the ocean and that's scary! We have some filter masks which may help on bad days but we haven't tried them yet. I should check to see how much of the vog the filters can get. I'd think some scuba tanks might be a good thing to have around, just in case, if you were sensitive to the vog.

If there is any haze out there at all, my sinuses get all gummed up. If you don't want to use drugs to try and clear out your breathing, there is a nasal irrigation device called a "neti pot" which you can get from the health food stores. They are less than $20. You need a neti pot, some non-iodized salt and some purified water. Basically, with the neti pot you are pouring warm salt water through your nose to wash it out. Kinda bizarre but afterwards you feel all clean and washed out like after a good afternoon of body surfing. It is just a palliative and not a cure but breathing is fairly high on my "to do" list.

[Cindy Blankenship]

Is it the flu or vog? I didn't realize the vog got bad in HPP in winter. We moved here in February and didn't notice much but then that was before Halema`uma`u got so active - or maybe not. Anyway, I looked at http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch/2008/08_08_14.html and found this:

"During trade wind disruptions, which occur as much as 50 percent of the time during winter months, air quality in windward Hawai`i deteriorates."

So maybe the constantly watering eyes and overall feeling of malice that started about 2 weeks ago isn't the flu but is the vog? I just started noticing I feel much better in the afternoon after the sun comes out...which would also be when the trades are blowing a bit. Today's it's still and overcast and I feel awful. Hmmm

Seems wherever you live though, there's something...my good friend in Oregon has to close her windows in spring and fall to keep out neighbors' fireplace smoke, my good friend in Texas has to deal with tornado threats and huddle in the closet with her pets...the entire West Coast is in the window period for a level 9 earthquake, smog where I grew up...I wonder though if the air quality in HPP is better closer to the ocean...

Edit: Shekepal, I didn't catch your post...just in too much of a hurry today. Or course it's the vog then for me, not the flu. Thank you for reporting on all that. You mentioned the north end of the island. I just met a gal from Waimea who moved here because the vog in North Kohala triggered asthma. Maybe way up in Hawi it wouldn't be as bad, but I've read in official reports it does travel up Kona to North Kohala :-(

Cindy

[Cindy Blankenship]

Lostboystoy considering your asthma and that your bird, being a parrot, is vulnerable to
respiratory issues I would research to see what kind of air purifiers/air conditioners will keep the vog out of your home. I say A/C too because it would be just too hot to shut up everything, which I think you'd need to do for the air purifier to be effective. Also A/Cs also work as air filters to a point. I have mild asthma but it was far worse in Oregon in the cold than here. But I know it can really make it worse, so play it safe. I'm looking into A/C and air purifier right now, in spite of the cost of electric. I would only use it when the trades aren't blowing.


http://www.CoconutRoads.com
"Taking you to the Heart of Hawaii"

[StillHope]

quote:

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Originally posted by Cindy Blankenship

. I'm looking into A/C and air purifier right now, in spite of the cost of electric. I would only use it when the trades aren't blowing.

"Taking you to the Heart of Hawaii"

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I have Sharper Image GP air purifier and the consumption of electricity is really negligible.It has optional UV light.
There was some opinion that this type of air purifier doesn't do good job because it doesn't move the air efficiently.
When the publication came out I did return 2 of them and Sharper Image gave me all money back and paid for the shipping,but I decided to leave one and don't regret.