This information is from Natural Hazards Big Island website, UH-Hilo.
Vog is a word made up by combining “volcanic” and “smog.”
Vog is unpleasant to anyone, and can produce headaches as well as irritation to the lungs and eyes at higher concentrations. For people with asthma and other respiratory problems, the effects are much more serious, causing a tightening of the airways in the lungs and making it very difficult to breathe. Studies are being done to learn the long-term effects of vog but, to date, there’s been no clear evidence that vog causes lingering damage to normally healthy individuals. However, a number of strategies can be used to minimize your exposure to vog’s irritations: when possible, stay indoors with windows and doors closed and sealed. If you have one available to you, use an air conditioner or even a dehumidifier; both will condense water out of the indoor air and, in doing so, will remove the particulate sulfur compounds and acid gases from your indoor air.
The videos below offer information about vog:
- From Natural Hazards Hawaii
- From Meterologist Malika Dudley