A note on NSW air quality readings.

[wildwanderer]

Taken from http://aqicn.org/city/australia/nsw/mac ... dney-east/

Note that the NSW Environment agency only reports the PM2.5 level as a 24 hour average, which can make it really difficult to find out what the actual air quality is in real time. However, since visibility is also reported as a 1 hour average, and it is a much better metric for determining the real time quality of the air, the AQI calculation has been updated to take into account the visibility.

For instance, the PM2.5 24 hour average can be Good in Sydney, but the Visibility could be well past Hazardous. In this case, it would take several hours for the PM2.5 24 hour average to report as hazardous because there could have been a fairly good air quality over the last 24 hours and only just recently has the wind started to blow the smoke towards Sydney.

So basicly look at the visibility NEPH readings (not the PM2.5 reading) for an up to date measurement of current air quality including estimate of current PM2.5 levels. Or just look out your window

[Warin]

So basicly look at the visibility NEPH readings (not the PM2.5 reading) for an up to date measurement of current air quality including estimate of current PM2.5 levels. Or just look out your window

Or poke your nose out the door.

The visibility readings are also averaged, by an hour. Your sight and smell are now so they are your best guide as to what is happening now.

My P2 mask takes out the smoke smell so I assume it is taking out at least some of the PM2.5. It may not be perfect but it should reduce the level.
I have a cheap measurement device on order.. I don't expect much accuracy .. but it should give me some indicative numbers as to what the trend is locally.

[mandragara]

My understanding is that there can be PM2.5's without smoke and vice versa. I just go by how I feel outside, high PM2.5's make me feel uneasy after a few minutes of breathing them

[wildwanderer]

Good news. As reported on site in first post. http://aqicn.org/city/australia/nsw/mac ... dney-east/

News (January 16th): NSW Environment Deparement is now publishing the hourly data for PM2.5 and PM10.
Any new readings starting from Janurary 16th 2020 will be reported using the hourly data

[Warin]

Good news. As reported on site in first post. http://aqicn.org/city/australia/nsw/mac ... dney-east/

News (January 16th): NSW Environment Deparement is now publishing the hourly data for PM2.5 and PM10.
Any new readings starting from Janurary 16th 2020 will be reported using the hourly data

I bought a cheap thing off ebay, sorta works. This way I see what it is like at my place every minute or so.