Tag Archive for: air quality monitoring

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DEP declares Orange Air Quality Action Day for Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022

DEP Declares Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for Fine Particulate Matter for Thursday, January 13, 2022, in Multiple Areas of Pennsylvania

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has declared a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for fine particulate matter for Thursday, January 13, 2022, in the following areas of Pennsylvania:

• The Philadelphia Area, which includes the counties of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia;
• The Lehigh Valley-Berks Area, which includes the counties of Berks, Lehigh, and Northampton; and
• The Susquehanna Valley Area, which includes the counties of Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York.

A moderately strong temperature inversion Thursday morning with calm or very light wind will likely contribute to daily average concentrations of fine particulate matter in the Code Orange range.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Index (AQI) provides standardized color codes for forecasting and reporting daily air quality. Green signifies good air quality; Yellow means moderate air quality; Orange represents unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive groups of people; and Red warns of unhealthy pollution levels for all.

An Air Quality Action Day is declared when the AQI is forecasted to be Code Orange or higher. On an Air Quality Action Day, young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities.

Residents and businesses within the Air Quality Action Day areas are strongly encouraged to voluntarily help reduce fine particulate matter air pollution by:

• Reducing or eliminating fireplace and wood stove use;
• Avoiding the open burning of leaves, trash, and other materials; and
• Avoiding the use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment.

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Air Quality Action Day, Dec. 20

A(n) Air Quality Action Day has been declared for Susquehanna Valley, PA, on Sunday, Dec 20
Tomorrow’s Forecast
Sunday, Dec 20: 103 AQI Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Particle Pollution (2.5 microns)

Extended Forecast
Monday, Dec 21: 64 AQI Moderate Particle Pollution (2.5 microns)
Tuesday, Dec 22: 39 AQI Good Particle Pollution (2.5 microns)
Current conditions: An Air Quality Action Day is effect for the day Sunday. Stagnant surface winds, a moderately strong inversion, and snow cover will all act to bring fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations to the code ORANGE range Sunday. Concentrations will be highest during the morning hours, and then fall some during the afternoon with a slight south wind. The day will turn out mostly cloudy with only a rain or snow shower. *** Monday’s forecast: Another weak weather system will bring a rain or snow shower later Monday or Monday evening with enough low level mixing from the south and southwest to where only moderate PM2.5 concentrations are expected. *** Extended forecast: Better air quality in the good range is expected by Tuesday, as a northwesterly flow will increase and be rather brisk in the afternoon. High pressure builds back in by Wednesday, but then a strong cold front brings rain to the area Christmas eve. A blast of very cold air will then follow for Christmas day and Saturday. Air quality should be in the good range Wednesday through Saturday.—McAuliffe

 

Residents and businesses within the ozone Air Quality Action Day area are strongly encouraged to voluntarily help reduce air pollution by:

• Conserving electricity by setting air conditioning to a higher temperature;
• Combining errands to reduce vehicle trips;
• Limiting engine idling; and
• Refueling cars and trucks after dusk.

Days when particle pollution levels are expected to be high:

* Reduce or eliminate fireplace and wood stove use.
* Avoid using gas-powered lawn and garden equipment.
* Avoid burning leaves, trash and other materials.

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PurpleAir increases our knowledge of air quality

Our PurpleAir network helps us understand local air pollution.  PurpleAir provides continuous monitoring for particulate pollution.  Read our Guest Editorial in Cumberlink.

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Western Wildlifes – the effect on public health

View the recent CAB Zoom meeting where we discuss the air pollution caused by western wildfires and the readings at air quality monitors around major cities on the west coast.  https://cleanairboard.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Wildfires.mp4

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PurpleAir Can Warn of Hazardous Air

I Live in California. How Do I Know It’s Safe to Go Outside?

A high-tech sensor network brought me closer to the natural cycles of my environment.

NY Times, Sept. 4, 2020.

By 

Contributing Opinion Writer

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CAB installs PM2.5 monitor

The Clean Air Board announced that it has installed a new air quality monitor in downtown Carlisle near the Square.  The PM2.5 sensor will report its readings 24 hours a day.  The real-time data can be viewed on the PurpleAir network.  The PurpleAir™ sensor is a device that uses two laser particle counters to capture and record data about microscopic particulate matter (PM2.5) suspended in the air.  The sensor uses WiFi connectivity to display real-time air quality readings on the PurpleAir™ Map, which is a  world-wide map of monitors where data can be shared with the public.

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NASA Satellite Data Show 30 Percent Drop In Air Pollution Over Northeast U.S.

Over the past several weeks, NASA satellite measurements have revealed significant reductions in air pollution over the major metropolitan areas of the Northeast United States. Similar reductions have been observed in other regions of the world. These recent improvements in air quality have come at a high cost, as communities grapple with widespread lockdowns and shelter-in-place orders as a result of the spread of COVID-19. Read more …

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Air Pollution and Coronavirus Death Rates

The New York Times, April 7, 2020 by Lisa Friedman

WASHINGTON — Coronavirus patients in areas that had high levels of air pollution before the pandemic are more likely to die from the infection than patients in cleaner parts of the country, according to a new nationwide study that offers the first clear link between long-term exposure to pollution and Covid-19 death rates.

Read more from NY Times

Air pollution compared during the worst days in big cities and nearby areas

See How the World’s Most Polluted Air Compares With Your City’s

by Nadja Popovich, Blacki Migliozzi, Karthik Patanjali, Anjali Singhvi and Jon HuangDec. 2, 2019

We visualized the damaging, tiny particles that wreak havoc on human health. From the Bay Area to New Delhi, see how the world’s worst pollution compares with your local air.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/12/02/climate/air-pollution-compare-ar-ul.html