Here’s How Weather Played a Part in the Natural Gas Odor

Nicole Madden,

A strong natural gas odor in Charlotte caused hundreds to call 911 this morning and lead to the evacuation of several buildings in Charlotte. An emergency alert was sent out explaining the odor was caused by a ‘weather inversion’ and they were investigating where the smell was coming from. So what’s an inversion?

Inversion

Imagine the atmosphere as having different layers. The warmest air is at the surface and gets cooler the higher you go. When warm air rises it also carries tiny particles like dust and pollutants like exhaust from cars with it. An inversion happens when the layer of air above the surface is warmer than what’s below. This layer of warmer air acts as a barrier, blocking the rising air from going any higher-trapping pollutants closer to the surface.  Higher concentrations of these pollutants can have a negative impact on air quality and your health.Am Air Quality Index

Today, the air quality index is forecast to be in the ‘Code Yellow’ range today. The two main components of the measure of the air quality index are PM2.5 and Ozone. PM2.5 are tiny particles that can penetrate deep into our lungs causing breathing issues. These levels are forecast to remain low today. Ozone levels are a bit higher, but due to the stalled front across the region, clouds will be locked in place. This will keep sunshine to a minimum – a key ingredient in the production of ozone. Code Yellow means only those who are extremely sensitive to pollution need to take precautions and limit their time outdoors today, but the general public shouldn’t have any issues.

So if weather technically only amplified the smell, and the air quality index isn’t unhealthy – what did cause the natural gas odor?

https://twitter.com/piedmontng/status/1547597525187629060?s=21&t=RSJStGAnzvf9j-VwImrieQ

Piedmont Natural Gas found it was caused by a local company destroying barrels of Mercaptan – a harmless, but foul-smelling gas. Since natural gas is colorless and odorless, Mercaptan is added to natural gas to make it easier to detect.