ROCHESTER N.Y. – Beginning Sunday and continuing into Monday, air quality across Western New York has significantly deteriorated. The main culprit: wildfire smoke drifting into the region. But how exactly is this air quality measured?
One key monitoring site operated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is located right along Route 104 in the city — a spot many people drive past every day without realizing its importance.
At this site, the DEC measures a range of pollutants, including ozone and nitrogen dioxide. In this case, however, the focus is on particulate matter which is tiny particles released from wildfires that can be harmful when inhaled. These particles are tracked using the Air Quality Index (AQI), a tool that quantifies how clean or polluted the air is. Over the past 24 hours, AQI readings in our area have risen sharply.
This latest plume of smoke originated in north-central Canada, just north of Winnipeg. Upper-level winds in the atmosphere are steering the smoke southeastward, across the Great Lakes and into Western New York. When this smoke remains high in the atmosphere, it is less of a concern. But when it sinks to ground level, it can reduce visibility and pose health risks.
So what causes the smoke to descend? Meteorologically, it depends on vertical motion and atmospheric mixing, which are often triggered by weather events such as passing fronts or daytime heating that leads to convection. These factors can bring pollutants down to the surface, worsening local air quality.
If you would like to track the latest air quality readings, visit AIRNOW.gov, which provides real-time data 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
First Alert Weather In-Depth: How wildfire smoke travels and why it is affecting our air WHEC.com.
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