Riga, October 2, LETA. Due to the clouds of dust and smoke in the air, people with respiratory diseases need to be careful, Sanita Pelēķe, a public relations specialist at the Center for Environment, Geology and Meteorology (LEGMC), informed LETA.
Assessing particulate matter PM10, on October 1, the Latvian air quality index is assessed as poor and everyone can feel the impact on health, so people with respiratory problems should be careful. Members of a vulnerable group, such as children with asthma, adults with heart problems, should limit walking and exercise more. Anyone who feels a sore throat or a cough should limit their physical activity and walking outside, Pelēķe emphasized.
On October 1, dominated by an anticyclone over the western part of Russia and a cyclone over Central Europe, a zone of dust / smoke clouds reached Latvia from the southeast with a gusting southeast wind, which crossed the territory during the day and was visually visible in the sky as a thin cloud cover. Consequently, the daily value of PM10 suspended in air was increased in some monitoring stations, for example, in Rucava – 84 micrograms per cubic meter (µg / m³), Liepāja – 65 µg / m³ and Rēzekne – 48 µg / m³.
Gray explained that the deterioration was due to fires in eastern Ukraine and southern Russia, as well as sand and dust particles in the desert regions.
Unfortunately, PM10 particle filters were changed at Riga stations on Brivibas Street and Kronvalda Boulevard on October 1, therefore today’s concentrations in Brivibas Street – 186 µg / m³ – can be used only as an approximate indicator, because the concentration does not include a full 24-hour period until noon, the specialist added.
A normal PM10 level is assumed when the daily average concentration of 50 µg / m³ is not exceeded 35 times a year.
Even today, on October 2, with the prevailing east winds, dust / smoke cloud zones from the southeast will reach Latvia again. In the next few days, the synoptic situation will not change significantly and by the end of the week the flow of air masses from the east and south-east will dominate in Latvia, Pelēķe explained.
Taking into account that the amount of PM10 particulate matter in Latvian state stations is determined daily, not hourly, the data for October 2 will be known on October 3, the specialist added.
The LEGMC draws attention to the fact that in determining the air quality index, the PM10 value, unlike other pollutants, is used as a 24-hour moving average value.
If the PM10 pollution introduced into the Latvian airspace increases and the average concentration of the last 24 hours exceeds 100 µg / m³, the air quality will be assessed as very poor.
According to the forecasts of the European Commission’s Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service, PM10 pollution in Latvian airspace will decrease starting on October 3 – the concentration will not exceed 30 µg / m³, but on October 4 it will not exceed 20 µg / m³.
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