Our monthly tracking spreadsheet has been updated for October 2015:
A few notes from our data guy, Mark Barker with the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League:
Highlights for October
There was only 1 yellow AQI day – for PM 2.5.
No October days on the top ten for ozone or PM 2.5 for 2015.
Historical Info
The last Orange AQI day for Ozone was 6/29/2012. Ozone concentration of 77 ppb, 104 AQI.
The last Orange AQI day for PM 2.5 was 6/13/2008. PM 2.5 concentration ranged from 59.7 – 60.2 ug/m3, 141 AQI.
Ozone and PM 2.5 Standards
The current 2008 Ozone standard went into effect on March 12, 2008.
The new 2015 Ozone standard goes into effect 60 days after the final rule was published in the Federal Register. The rule was published on October 26, 2015. So, I guess around Christmas is when the new standard goes into effect.
The current PM 2.5 2012 standard went into effect on March 18, 2013.
