Inversion

As I walked home yesterday I noticed that I could barely see the mountains. No, it wasn't because a big winter storm was moving in. No, it wasn't because the sun was setting. No, it wasn't because i didn't have my contact in.  It was because of this:


inversion    (ĭn-vûr'zhən)  Pronunciation Key  
A departure from the normal effect of altitude on a meteorological property, especially an atmospheric condition in which the air temperature rises with increasing altitude. ◇ A layer of air that is warmer than the air below it is called an inversion layer. Such a layer traps the surface air in place and prevents dispersion of any pollutants it contains. 


And it looks like this:

Ugh. As I struggle for breathe walking up to campus I wonder is it because I walked up the south of campus stairs, or is it the inversion?  It must be the inversion.