A Voggy Day in Lahainatown

Aloha Kakou:

It's back - the volcanic fog known as vog. It was particularly noticeable yesterday as a persistent dark haze hanging over the Puu Kukui. And, with the absence of the tradewinds, it's still here today.

When Kilauea's Halema'uma'u crater exploded this spring for the first time since 1924, it sent large amounts of sulfur dioxide into the air. Consequently, there have been many more voggy days following the eruption.

Here on Maui, the vog is not a health hazard but is a strange sight. Looking toward Lahaina from the Pali, the sky looks as though it might rain, tinged as it is with a dark gray. But, as you drive along, you can see that the gray is just haze high in the atmosphere. It gives a kind of strange light, as though someone had turned down the sun's dimmer switch.

The weather forecast calls for an increase in the tradewinds tonight. With any luck, we'll have our usual clear blue skies on Tuesday.