Rains serve as
New Year’s air filter
Rain helped reduce the amount of fireworks smoke in the air at two locations on Oahu New Year's Eve.
At 1 a.m. Jan. 1, the amount of airborne particulate matter per cubic meter in Kapolei plunged 66 percent, to 321 from 968 the same time last year.
And in Honolulu, the number fell by more than half to 222 from 452 last year.
Despite the rains, however, air quality remained about the same at another site and worsened at two others.
Topography and weather conditions accounted for differences in the numbers, said Wilfred Nagamine, Department of Health Clean Air Branch manager.
Last year's weather was clear, and light variable winds helped disperse the smoke, while this year had no winds, he said.
However, this year's "rains throughout the evening, and also high humidity, helped scrub some of the particulates out," he said.
Nagamine declared overall air quality on New Year's Eve and Day "wasn't much different from last year."
"It's hard to look at one number," Nagamine said, since "air moves so fast. Anything can happen, given the dynamics of wind and weather."
The Health Department released the air quality data for Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 yesterday from its monitoring stations at Kapolei, Honolulu, Liliha, Pearl City and Kihei, Maui, which are key areas of interest.
The 1 a.m. Jan. 1 data differed.
Liliha saw a big jump to 637 from 476 last year, as did Kihei to 106 from 15.
Pearl City remained about the same with 823 from 891.
"Don't ask me why, it's just the way it happens," Nagamine said.
Other contributing factors may include the amount of fireworks set off. The number of fireworks permits issued shot up (8,770 in 2003; 6,100 in 2002) and most Oahu stores ran out of firecrackers.
Maui County also reported more permit sales than last year, 600 compared with 424.
