Not common on the island, vog has spread over Kaua‘i recently as a result of increased activity of the Kilauea Crater on the Big Island and the lack of tradewinds throughout the entire state. According to the U.S. Geological Survey,
Not common on the island, vog has spread over Kaua‘i recently as a result of increased activity of the Kilauea Crater on the Big Island and the lack of tradewinds throughout the entire state.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, as Kilauea releases gases, they react with moisture, oxygen and sunlight, forming vog. One of these gases, sulfur dioxide, reacts with other chemicals in the air forming liquid and solid particulates. As these particulates scatter light, the air appears hazy.
When northeasterly winds are blowing — the normal tradewind pattern — vog settles on the Kona side of the Big Island before being blown out to sea. When the Kona winds are blowing — out of the southeast — vog settles on the Hilo side and sometimes blows up the island chain.
“It’s here right now,” said Rod Yama, with the Hawai‘i Department of Health, Clean Air Branch Kaua‘i. “I had a call concerning vog just this morning.”
Yama said he watches Kilauea’s status daily in order to determine no-burn days on Kaua‘i.
“When vog comes to Kaua‘i, it triggers me to declare a no-burn day,” Yama said.
According to an official with the Clean Air Branch on O‘ahu — who would not give her name — by the time the sulfur dioxide in vog travels up the island chain, it turns into particulates.
“Residents on Kaua‘i are probably seeing the particulates and they could still be affected by that kind of weather,” the official said.
According to the American Lung Association of Hawai‘i, the chemicals in vog can be irritating to the eyes, nose, throat and lungs. Vog can also worsen breathing problems such as asthma, bronchitis and emphysema.
As precautionary measures against the effects of vog, the American Lung Association recommends individuals stay indoors, avoid smoking and secondhand smoke, limit physical exertion, drink plenty of fluids to loosen any mucus and to contact a doctor as soon as respiratory problems develop.
Though there are no monitors on Kaua‘i to monitor the particulates, the monitors on O‘ahu have hardly picked up any increase in particulates, the official with the Clean Air Branch said.
On Thursday, the agency posted a public notice to residents on the Big Island advising them to take precautions from elevated sulfur dioxide and fine particulate levels. The 24-hour average for sulfur dioxide and fine particulates exceeded the federal ambient air quality standard Tuesday and Wednesday.
The 24-hour average for sulfur dioxide in Pahala on the Big Island exceeded the federal ambient air quality standard on March 30 and March 31.
As of yesterday, Kilauea was still active, but ash production and sulfur dioxide emissions from the Halema‘uma‘u vent has decreased, according to the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
According to the National Weather Service, the vog that has settled over Kaua‘i will likely be sent seaward by returning tradewinds.
• Rachel Gehrlein, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) or rgehrlein@kauaipubco.com
