Won't be expecting a reply from Liz as her post is four and a half years old.

I'm coughing out here in Orange County, CA. Same with a couple of office mates. Must be dust and/or low humidity from the Santa Ana winds that recently started. Happened same time last year. But the sky is clear, so I don't know.

Not nearly as bad as Athens or Beijing, tho, but I was a smoker when I visited those places so coughing was normal.