The Air District is issuing the winter season’s first Spare the Air Alerts for Wednesday, November 26, and Thanksgiving Day, which bans burning wood, manufactured fire logs or any other solid fuel, both indoors and outdoors.
Learn about Napa County - its climate, potential air pollution concerns, and current air quality. You can also view upcoming Air District events in Napa County and read about local efforts to improve air quality.
Napa County is nestled in a valley between the Maycamas Mountains in the west and the Vaca Mountains in the east. One Napa County representative sits on the Air District’s Board of Directors.
The Air District is issuing the winter season’s first Spare the Air Alerts for Wednesday, November 26, and Thanksgiving Day, which bans burning wood, manufactured fire logs or any other solid fuel, both indoors and outdoors.
The public comment period for the Draft Guidelines for the Local Community Benefits Fund for Benicia, Richmond, and surrounding areas closes on Tuesday, November 25, at 5:00 PM. The Draft Guidelines describe the Local Community Benefits Fund, which will reinvest penalty funds back into communities impacted by air quality violations, supporting local projects that improve public health, reduce pollution, and promote a just transition.
The Air District is announcing the launch of its Commercial Electric Lawn and Garden Equipment Exchange Program, a pilot grant program designed to reduce air pollution by replacing gasoline and diesel-powered landscaping equipment with cleaner, zero-emission electric alternatives.
The Air District showcased the Bay Area’s leadership in clean air, climate innovation, and equity at the United Nations Climate Change Conference or COP30, held in Belém, Brazil from November 10 through November 21. During a virtual media availability on November 13, Air District leadership reflected on the importance of local and regional action to drive global climate progress.
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The mountains bordering Napa Valley block much of the prevailing northwesterly winds throughout the year. Sunshine is plentiful in Napa County, and summertime can be very warm in the valley, particularly in the northern end. Winters are usually mild, with cool temperatures overnight and mild-to-moderate temperatures during the day. Wintertime temperatures tend to be slightly cooler in the northern end of the valley. Winds are generally calm throughout the county. Annual precipitation averages range from about 24 inches in low elevations to more than 40 inches in the mountains.
Interactive Air Monitoring Stations Map
Ozone and fine particle pollution, or PM2.5, are the major regional air pollutants of concern in the San Francisco Bay Area. Ozone is primarily a problem in the summer, and fine particle pollution in the winter.
In Napa County, ozone rarely exceeds health standards, but PM2.5 occasionally does reach unhealthy concentrations. There are multiple reasons for PM2.5 exceedances in Napa County. First, much of the county is wind-sheltered, which tends to trap PM2.5 within the Napa Valley.
Second, much of the area is well north of the moderating temperatures of San Pablo Bay and, as a result, Napa County experiences some of the coldest nights in the Bay Area. This leads to greater fireplace use and, in turn, higher PM2.5 levels. Finally, in the winter easterly winds often move fine-particle-laden air from the Central Valley to the Carquinez Strait and then into western Solano and southern Napa County.
Last Updated: 4/21/2017