An inversion can trap wildfire smoke and smog from cars at the lower elevations.
Author: Jim Duthie, Sophia Sciotto
Published: 7:09 AM MST February 9, 2021
Updated: 7:18 AM MST February 9, 2021
They often result in gray skies and reduced visibility, with fog or haze. But they can also have a serious impact on our physical health, reducing the quality of the air that we breathe, according to KTVB Meteorologist Jim Duthie.
"In an inversion, the atmosphere is turned 'upside down', with warmer air sitting on top of colder air at the surface, which traps pollution from cars, fireplaces, and factories," Duthie said. "Unfortunately, that's the air we have to breathe. Much of this pollution is liquid droplets, as well as solid particles of dust and smoke."