Air Quality Is Abnormally Bad In These Counties Right Now
https://climatecrisis247.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/18169916-150x150.jpgWhile air quality is generally worse in the summer, the autumn months can carry hazards of their own. In the first week of October, heat waves in the Southwest, wildfires in Wyoming and Oregon, and high ozone days in Texas have led to spikes in ambient ozone and particulate matter and prompted the National Weather Service to issue air quality alerts for dozens of counties. Currently, there are currently 67 counties under some kind of air quality alert, representing 9.5% of the U.S. population. A closer look at station-level PM2.5 and ozone readings reveals dozens of major cities throughout the Southern and Western U.S. where air quality is abnormally bad right now.
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To determine the counties where air quality is abnormally bad right now, Climate Crisis 247 developed an index based on station-level carbon monoxide, ozone, PM2.5, PM10, and sulfur dioxide readings from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Counties were ranked based on the combined, normalized differences in CO2, O3, PM2.5, PM10, and SO2 on October 2, 2024 from historical normals for 2019 through 2023. Daily measurement data is from the EPA AirNow system and was aggregated from stations to counties using Voronoi tessellation. Only counties under current NWS air quality alerts were considered.
25. Hill County, TX
- Air quality anomaly index: 46.6/100
- Most abnormally high pollutant: Ozone
- Cause or air quality alert: High ozone
- County seat: Hillsboro
24. Lane County, OR
- Air quality anomaly index: 46.7/100
- Most abnormally high pollutant: Ozone
- Cause or air quality alert: Pendleton wildfire smoke
- County seat: Eugene
23. Bosque County, TX
- Air quality anomaly index: 47.3/100
- Most abnormally high pollutant: Ozone
- Cause or air quality alert: High ozone
- County seat: Meridian
22. Riverside County, CA
- Air quality anomaly index: 48.3/100
- Most abnormally high pollutant: Ozone
- Cause or air quality alert: San Diego wildfire smoke
- County seat: Riverside
21. Montgomery County, TX
- Air quality anomaly index: 48.8/100
- Most abnormally high pollutant: Ozone
- Cause or air quality alert: High ozone
- County seat: Conroe
20. Washakie County, WY
- Air quality anomaly index: 52.8/100
- Most abnormally high pollutant: PM10
- Cause or air quality alert: Central Wyoming wildfire smoke
- County seat: Worland
19. Liberty County, TX
- Air quality anomaly index: 54.1/100
- Most abnormally high pollutant: Ozone
- Cause or air quality alert: High ozone
- County seat: Liberty
18. Harris County, TX
- Air quality anomaly index: 54.2/100
- Most abnormally high pollutant: Ozone
- Cause or air quality alert: High ozone
- County seat: Houston
17. Waller County, TX
- Air quality anomaly index: 54.6/100
- Most abnormally high pollutant: Ozone
- Cause or air quality alert: High ozone
- County seat: Hempstead
16. Fort Bend County, TX
- Air quality anomaly index: 56.2/100
- Most abnormally high pollutant: Ozone
- Cause or air quality alert: High ozone
- County seat: Richmond
15. Chambers County, TX
- Air quality anomaly index: 56.7/100
- Most abnormally high pollutant: Ozone
- Cause or air quality alert: High ozone
- County seat: Anahuac
14. Crook County, WY
- Air quality anomaly index: 58.0/100
- Most abnormally high pollutant: PM10
- Cause or air quality alert: Northeast Wyoming wildfire smoke
- County seat: Sundance
13. Galveston County, TX
- Air quality anomaly index: 60.0/100
- Most abnormally high pollutant: Ozone
- Cause or air quality alert: High ozone
- County seat: Galveston
12. Matagorda County, TX
- Air quality anomaly index: 60.1/100
- Most abnormally high pollutant: Ozone
- Cause or air quality alert: High ozone
- County seat: Bay City
11. Fremont County, WY
- Air quality anomaly index: 64.2/100
- Most abnormally high pollutant: PM2.5
- Cause or air quality alert: Central Wyoming wildfire smoke
- County seat: Lander
10. Powder River County, MT
- Air quality anomaly index: 64.3/100
- Most abnormally high pollutant: PM10
- Cause or air quality alert: Elk Fire wildfire smoke
- County seat: Broadus
9. Brazoria County, TX
- Air quality anomaly index: 64.3/100
- Most abnormally high pollutant: Ozone
- Cause or air quality alert: High ozone
- County seat: Angleton
8. Big Horn County, MT
- Air quality anomaly index: 70.3/100
- Most abnormally high pollutant: PM10
- Cause or air quality alert: Elk Fire wildfire smoke
- County seat: Hardin
7. Campbell County, WY
- Air quality anomaly index: 71.6/100
- Most abnormally high pollutant: PM10
- Cause or air quality alert: Elk Fire wildfire smoke
- County seat: Gillette
6. Sheridan County, WY
- Air quality anomaly index: 77.7/100
- Most abnormally high pollutant: PM2.5
- Cause or air quality alert: Elk Fire wildfire smoke
- County seat: Sheridan
5. Weston County, WY
- Air quality anomaly index: 77.9/100
- Most abnormally high pollutant: PM10
- Cause or air quality alert: Northeast Wyoming wildfire smoke
- County seat: Newcastle
4. Johnson County, WY
- Air quality anomaly index: 83.5/100
- Most abnormally high pollutant: PM2.5
- Cause or air quality alert: Elk Fire wildfire smoke
- County seat: Buffalo
3. Carbon County, WY
- Air quality anomaly index: 86.5/100
- Most abnormally high pollutant: PM2.5
- Cause or air quality alert: Central Wyoming wildfire smoke
- County seat: Rawlins
2. Natrona County, WY
- Air quality anomaly index: 91.9/100
- Most abnormally high pollutant: PM2.5
- Cause or air quality alert: Central Wyoming wildfire smoke
- County seat: Casper
1. Converse County, WY
- Air quality anomaly index: 100.0/100
- Most abnormally high pollutant: PM10
- Cause or air quality alert: Northeast Wyoming wildfire smoke
- County seat: Douglas
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