ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, August 23, 1996 TAG: 9608230081
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOHN GRIESSMAYER STAFF WRITER
NOTE: Above
BLUE RIDGE? Purple mountains' majesty? How about a gray haze? Relief is coming, meteorologists say.
Where have all the mountains gone?
And why?
Residents and tourists alike have wondered all week why they can't see some of the Roanoke Valley's most beautiful and recognizable natural landmarks.
Did illusionist David Copperfield pass through and make Tinker Mountain disappear?
Should we blame City Council for secretly voting to make Mill Mountain invisible?
No, the blame goes to a weather phenomenon known as thermal inversion.
According to meteorologist Mike Emlaw of the National Weather Service in Blacksburg, the thick haze that has been hiding the mountains is caused by an area of high pressure that has trapped stale, dirty air in the valley and made visibility low.
"It acts like a lid that keeps the nasty stuff like smoke and pollution in a lower part of the atmosphere," he said. "After several days, it ends up looking kind of ugly out there."
And while the haze is not very pretty to look at, it's not especially dangerous.
Dr. Robert C. Keeley, a Roanoke lung specialist, said people without asthma or serious lung illnesses should have no problem going about their daily outdoor routines.
"It's more important to worry about heat stroke or heat exhaustion than to worry about pollutants," he said. "If people just use their common sense, they should be OK."
However, Keeley cautioned that people who have a history of breathing difficulty should try to stay inside as much as possible, and anyone who has trouble breathing for an extended period of time should see a doctor.
Rain showers expected on Saturday and Sunday should remove the haze and clean up the air in the Roanoke Valley, Emlaw said.
Until then, you might not be able to see your favorite mountain, but don't worry.
As Keeley put it: "It's pretty common. This is not like the London smog that killed all those people in the 1950s.''
LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: JESSICA SURACE Staff. Visitors to Mill Mountain had aby CNBhard time seeing the Roanoke Valley on Thursday. color.