AirNow.gov's Air Quality Index (AQI) is a valuable resource developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, providing real-time and easy-to-understand air quality information. With its color-coded scale, the AQI helps the public make informed decisions to protect their health and well-being from the impacts of air pollution.

What is Airnow.gov?

AirNow.gov is a website developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that provides real-time air quality information to the public. It offers data and forecasts about air quality across the United States, including information on pollutants such as ground-level ozone, particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide.

The website uses a color-coded Air Quality Index (AQI) to communicate the current air quality conditions in a simple and understandable way. The AQI scale ranges from 0 to 500 and is divided into categories representing different levels of health concern, from "Good" (green) to "Hazardous" (maroon/purple). This helps individuals, especially those who may be sensitive to air pollution, such as children, elderly, and those with respiratory conditions, make informed decisions about their outdoor activities and take necessary precautions to protect their health.

AirNow.gov gathers data from a network of air quality monitoring stations across the country, providing users with accurate and up-to-date information on air quality conditions in their area or any region they are interested in. Additionally, the website offers air quality maps, historical data, educational resources, and information on air quality trends to promote awareness and understanding of air pollution and its impacts on public health and the environment.

Overall, AirNow.gov serves as a valuable resource for citizens, health professionals, and policymakers to make informed decisions about air quality and take steps to improve air quality and protect public health.

What is the Air Quality Index?

The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a standardized system used to communicate the quality of the air in a specific location and its potential impact on human health. It is a numerical scale that provides a simple and easily understandable way to represent air quality information to the public. The AQI is commonly used by environmental agencies and meteorological organizations worldwide to report air quality levels and help people make informed decisions to protect their health.

The AQI is typically calculated based on the concentrations of major air pollutants, which may include:

  1. Ground-level Ozone (O3): A harmful gas formed by chemical reactions between volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the presence of sunlight.
  2. Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10): Tiny particles suspended in the air, categorized based on their size (2.5 micrometers or smaller for PM2.5 and 10 micrometers or smaller for PM10).
  3. Carbon Monoxide (CO): A colorless and odorless gas produced by incomplete combustion of carbon-containing fuels.
  4. Sulfur Dioxide (SO2): A gas released during the combustion of fossil fuels containing sulfur.
  5. Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2): A reddish-brown gas formed by the combustion of fossil fuels, especially in vehicles and industrial processes.

Each of these pollutants has specific health effects, and the AQI is designed to reflect the potential health risks associated with exposure to these pollutants at different concentration levels.

The AQI scale typically ranges from 0 to 500 and is divided into different color-coded categories, each representing a level of health concern. The categories are usually labeled as follows:

  • 0 to 50 (Green): Good - Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.
  • 51 to 100 (Yellow): Moderate - Air quality is acceptable; however, some pollutants may be a concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.
  • 101 to 150 (Orange): Unhealthy for sensitive groups - Members of sensitive groups (e.g., children, elderly, individuals with respiratory conditions) may experience health effects, but the general public is less likely to be affected.
  • 151 to 200 (Red): Unhealthy - Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.
  • 201 to 300 (Purple): Very unhealthy - Health alert; everyone may experience more serious health effects.
  • 301 to 500 (Maroon): Hazardous - Health warnings of emergency conditions; the entire population is more likely to be affected.

The AQI can vary from location to location and throughout the day, depending on changes in weather, human activities, and emissions. Regularly checking the AQI can help individuals make informed decisions about outdoor activities and take appropriate measures to reduce exposure to air pollution when needed.

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Air Quality Index My Area

Go to the AirNow website (airnow.gov).

Enter your city, state, or ZIP code in the search bar at the top of the page.

Click on the "Go" or "Search" button.

The website will display the current AQI for your area, along with the pollutant levels and corresponding health effects.

Airnow.gov APP

APP Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.saic.airnow 

The AIRNow Android application is designed to provide real-time air quality information to the public, enabling them to protect their health while planning their daily activities. The app allows users to access location-specific reports on both ozone and fine particulate pollution (PM2.5), as well as current air quality and air quality forecasts.

Through the app, users can obtain visual representations of current and forecasted air quality across the country, using air quality maps from the AIRNow website. Additionally, it offers a page detailing the health effects associated with different AQI levels, empowering individuals to take necessary actions to safeguard their health when the AQI reaches the "orange" code and beyond.

Airnow.gov Official Website and Contact

Official Site: https://www.airnow.gov

Contact Page: https://www.airnow.gov/contact-us/

Address: 

U.S. EPA 
Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS)
Information Transfer Group
Mail Code C404-07
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711