LOS ANGELES (AP) - Southern Californians who venture outside this week will see excellent air quality, resulting from business closures during the coronavirus pandemic and recent rain, experts said.
The area’s famous freeway are empty but the lack of cars is contributing only a small amount to the clear skies, said Philip Fine with the South Coast Air Quality District.
Shipping is down in the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, meaning fewer trucks and cargo vessels are running. There are also fewer planes flying and more construction projects on hold.
Emissions from that kind of heavy machinery accounts for nearly 80% of all greenhouse gas emissions in LA County, Fine told the Southern California News Group.
His organization tracks air quality for much of the region. Researchers are analyzing just how much emissions have dropped since the coronavirus closures and the wet weather began, Fine said. Results are expected in a few weeks.
Authorities are urging residents to enjoy the clear conditions in their own neighborhoods, while adhering to social distancing guidelines.
NASA scientists reported drops of up to 30% in smog-forming pollutants in China over January and February, compared to the same months in recent years, based on satellite measurements, the news group reported.
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