Thousands in 8 States Advised Against Going Outside
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Americans in at least eight states face potentially unhealthy levels of air pollution on Wednesday, official data shows.
The data is shown in a live map from AirNow—a partnership of multiple U.S. federal and local agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Why It Matters
Experts caution that unhealthy air quality heightens health risks for vulnerable people, such as older adults, young children, and those with respiratory illnesses.
What To Know
According to AirNow's interactive map, on Wednesday morning a pocket of unhealthy air was located in northern California and southern Oregon, east of Medford. The map showed another zone of unhealthy air over northern Washington.
Additionally, areas of air quality in the "unhealthy for sensitive groups" category included the Utah-Colorado border, the Spring Mountains in Nevada east of Pahrump, northern Montana, southeast Michigan, and northwest Maine.
AirNow's map highlighted areas facing the worst air quality on Wednesday morning.
AirNow's map highlighted areas facing the worst air quality on Wednesday morning.
AirNow
Cleveland, Ohio, also faced similar air quality levels as of Wednesday morning, the AirNow map showed.
Air quality is usually communicated using the Air Quality Index (AQI). This measures air pollution on a scale from 0 to 301 and above.
0–50 (Green): Good. Air quality is satisfactory.
Good. Air quality is satisfactory. 51–100 (Yellow): Moderate. Air quality is acceptable, with potential concerns for sensitive individuals.
Moderate. Air quality is acceptable, with potential concerns for sensitive individuals. 101–150 (Orange): Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. Air quality may affect people with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and pregnant individuals.
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. Air quality may affect people with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and pregnant individuals. 151–200 (Red): Unhealthy. Everyone may begin to experience health effects, and sensitive groups may see more serious effects.
Unhealthy. Everyone may begin to experience health effects, and sensitive groups may see more serious effects. 201–300 (Purple): Very Unhealthy. The risk of health effects is increased for everyone.
Very Unhealthy. The risk of health effects is increased for everyone. 301 and above (Maroon): Hazardous. The air quality requires a health warning of emergency conditions, and everyone is more likely to be affected.
As of Wednesday, air quality alerts had been published by the National Weather Service (NWS) for several of these states, including Colorado, Ohio, Michigan, and Maine.
When levels of ozone or particulate matter in the air reach potentially unhealthy levels, authorities advise everyone to reduce long or intense outdoor activities. Sensitive groups are advised to reschedule outdoor activities or move them indoors.
What People Are Saying
Jonathan Grigg, professor of pediatric respiratory and environmental medicine at Queen Mary, University of London, previously told Newsweek that there were "very clear links" between inhaling particles and earlier death from both respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
He added: "There are vulnerable groups and classically they are children because they've got an extra issue to do with their lungs developing, whereas our lungs are not developing as adults."
What Happens Next
The AirNow map is regularly updated. Agencies such as the NWS also issue regular forecast updates.
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