Vog

Vog, if you have never heard of it before is a name used on Hawaii for Volcanic Fog. While I was leaving Maui at Kahului Airport one of the salesladies in one of the gift shops that sells Leis (garlands for the necks when arriving or leaving Hawaii) was complaining about the Vog. I had noticed it before because I lived on Maui in 1989 and 1990 in Hana and Paia. So, if the wind if blowing right from:

Introduction to Kilauea Volcano, Hawai`i

you can get Vog which is volcanic fog. So, for people with Asthma and other breathing conditions it might be difficult during these times. It tends to make the air more muggy and sticky than normal and to make it a little more difficult to see somewhat like fog does when it is low to the ground.

Since Kilauea Volcano on the southernmost tip of the big Island of Hawaii is likely the most active volcano on earth most days, some of the volcanic smoke (VOG) is going to be moving around from that. There is also Kilauea National Park which includes the active volcanic parts and previously active parts that constantly increase the size of Hawaii as eruptions occur. 

Over thousands and millions of years the tectonic plates that the Hawaiian Islands are on slowly move basically northwards. So, the same volcanic vents that created Kauai and the northern Hawaiian Islands also slowly created Oahu, Molikai, Lanai, Maui and now the Big Island of Hawaii and continue to slowly increase the size of the Big Island and likely will continue to do this for thousands of years more. 

The amount of Lava that has spewn out has also created Mauna Kea which is over 14,000 feet high on the big island of Hawaii where people in Hawaii can ski during parts of the year, and while I was living on Maui I have visited Haleakala Crater which is 10,000 feet high and often there was 1 to 3 feet of snow there as well in the winter. So, on both islands one can live at altitudes from sea level to 10,000 feet and on the big Island of Hawaii from sea level to 14,000 feet in elevation which is interesting too. Also, there are telescopes at the top of both Mauna Kea and Haleakala which are some of the best on earth because there is so little light interference there at night because they are so far from civilization compared to other telescopes around the world.