Monday, August 4, 2008

how quickly things can change - API back up to 83

After a beautiful blue sky weekend, the white haze has returned again to Beijing. I spent the entire day outside in the dense, stuffy, heavy air, wondering to myself how anyone could imagine competing in such conditions.

MEP is reporting an API of 83 (though it is days like today that make me long for an independent confirmation of the official data). Here's the updated data since the car ban went into effect on 7/20:


The upturn takes us dangerously close to the limit of 100, and would, it seems to me, make MEP strongly consider moving forward with Plan B. We'll see what happens.

I had wondered if, after the rains of 7/28-7/30 cleared out any residual pollution, we had reached some sort of stable state where the 7/20 bans were finally doing the trick. Apparently I was wrong.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hi Vance, i also think the 83 is not realistic; BBC measured a PM10 of 292! imagine the pressure on the poor guy who has to report the daily values.. let's see what he comes up with tomorrow!
hopefully we'll see some rain before the opening ceremony; with 70% humidity that cloud seeding might work; i don't think the pollution would go down even if all traffic were stopped.

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