Astana, 26 October. On Tuesday, 27 October, adverse weather conditions that allow harmful substances to build up in the air are expected in 10 Kazakh cities: Kostanay, Pavlodar, Karaganda, Zhezkazgan, Balkhash, Temirtau, Uralsk, Aktobe, Almaty and Astana, Kazhydromet said.
The list has grown for the third day running. On 24 October the warning covered four cities (Aktobe, Almaty, and at night Astana and Kokshetau), and on 25 and 26 October seven: Pavlodar, Karaganda, Temirtau, Aktobe, Taldykorgan, Almaty and Astana. In Pavlodar a warning is in force from 20:00 on 25 October to 20:00 on 27 October about a possible first-degree rise in pollution.
Adverse meteorological conditions are calm or light wind, fog and temperature inversion, when a warm layer of air lies above a cold one and stops the air from mixing: emissions from factories, boiler plants and cars do not disperse but accumulate near the ground. The forecast itself does not mean that limits have already been exceeded; these are conditions in which pollution may rise. Inversions are more frequent in autumn, when the ground cools at night while warmer air stays higher up. Residents are advised to spend less time near busy roads, move workouts indoors, and people with heart, vascular and lung conditions should carry their medicines.
What it means: Windless weather in recent days is keeping emissions from dispersing, and the number of cities where pollution may rise has grown from four to ten in three days.
Who benefits: Nobody. The warning is addressed to residents, above all children, the elderly and the chronically ill, and to companies that must cut emissions on such days.
Background: According to Kazhydromet, Aktobe is among the five Kazakh cities with very high air pollution.
We have also reported that a storm in 16 regions brought frosts down to −11 °C.
