U.S. Air Quality

Good Air Quality Continues Across the U.S / Code Red Ozone In California

Code Green (Good) PM2.5 levels (top left, courtesy of AIRNow) were reported in much of the United States today. Some Code Yellow (Moderate) PM2.5 levels were scattered throughout the country. Ozone levels (top right, courtesy of AIRNow) were Code Green in most of the U.S. with scattered Code Yellow levels reported in Ohio, Illinois, South Dakota, and Wyoming. Code Orange (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups) and Code Red (Unhealthy) levels were reported in California.

NOAA's Hazard Mapping System (HMS) reported a large area of smoke over North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio (as shown in the HMS map below right). The MODIS Terra AOD map (below left, IDEA) shows a patch of smoke/haze over the southern portion of Minnesota. Small patches of smoke were also reported by HMS over Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. The MODIS Active Fire Mapping Program's large incident map reports fires primarily in three fires in the southwestern part of Oregon, one in Washington, and the Station fire in California here.

Posted by Jaime Compton at September 18, 2009 10:18 PM