Particulate matter (PM) has become front and center because of the Canadian forest fires and wind patterns over the northeastern and middle Atlantic states. However, air quality alerts are as far south as Alabama and west to St. Louis.

Weather Cams

I’ve used weather cams before and decided to use them to look at the atmosphere in a few cities in the United States. You can access weather cams at Weather Bug. Here are a few examples. I accessed each of these cams around 2:30 pm today.

Particulate matter is a major contributor to climate change. It is also a significant health concern due to inhaling particulates in our air. Particulate matter is a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets in the air. Components include dust, dirt, smoke, soot, and other pollutants. Particulate matter is dangerous because it contains microscopic particles that are small enough to be inhaled into our lungs. These particles can cause short-term health effects such as coughing, wheezing, or difficulty breathing; long-term health effects such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; and even premature death.

The air pollution in New York City was the highest in the world over the past two days. The Weather Channel showed a time-lapse of New York’s sky over three hours as seen in the figure below.

Air Quality

Air quality is reported in terms of the mass of particles in the air and using optical and chemical methods to measure the concentration of particles in the air. Years ago, we (Global Thinking Project) used a device (the EcoBadge) to measure ozone concentration in the lower atmosphere. One of the projects we developed was Project Ozone. Schools worldwide participated by measuring ozone locally and then sharing their findings globally by posting them on the GTP website. Students examined the air quality in their environment and shared the results locally. Some students and teachers created environmental projects to bring awareness to their parents, fellow students, and community members.

The air quality is reported as an index—from good (air) to hazardous. When we worked with students in Project Ozone, air quality readings that they observed that were greater than 100 (ppm) was considered unhealthy for sensitive groups (such as children, those engaged in outdoor activities, and older adults). The air quality is explained the chart below.

The chart below shows us the Air Quality Index for NYC. Notice that particulate matter (PM2.5) measurement ranges from 151 to 409. Note also that there are measurements of ozone (O3), nitrous oxide (NO2) and carbon monoxide (CO).