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Here in Northern Va it is another smoggy hazy day. The sky is usually a grayish tan color all summer due to stagnant air and pollution. I can not picture a place outside of maybe LA that has such terrible air and sky conditions all summer.
Here is your chance to tell me your air pollution and haze horror stories. How is the summer air in your hometown?
Atlanta, L.A and D.C. area are probably the worst. We lived in Greenbelt up to 2 months ago. My husband had to use his asthma inhaler at least 3 to 4 times a day. Moved to MA (central) and now it's been over 2 weeks with no inhaler! Makes you wonder.....
it's HHH here today too, smog where I am isn't too bad, I'm far enough from NYC to somewhat escape it. NYC's smog can be bad, but nothing on the order of LA, etc....
I've lived in Sac, Fresno and Houston. Fresno is by far the worst, then Sac. Metropolitan Areas Most Polluted by Short-term Particle Pollution (24-Hour PM2.5)
2005 Rank1 Metropolitan Area
1 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, CA
2 Fresno-Madera,CA
3 Bakersfield,CA
4 Pittsburgh-New Castle,PA
5 Eugene-Springfield,OR
6 Salt Lake City-Ogden-Clearfield,UT
7 Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Truckee,CA-NV
8 Cleveland-Akron-Elyria,OH
9 Visalia-Porterville,CA
10 Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman,AL
11 Detroit-Warren-Flint,MI
12 Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia,DC-MD-VA-WV
13 Louisville-Elizabethtown-Scottsburg,KY-IN
13 Chicago-Naperville-Michigan City,IL-IN-WI
15 Provo-Orem,UT
15 Hanford-Corcoran,CA
17 Weirton-Steubenville,WV-OH
18 Cincinnati-Middletown-Wilmington,OH-KY-IN
19 Modesto,CA
20 Philadelphia-Camden-Vineland,PA-NJ-DE-MD
20 San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos,CA
22 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
23 San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland,CA
24 Harrisburg-Carlisle-Lebanon,PA
25 New York-Newark-Bridgeport,NY-NJ-CT-PA
(1) Cities are ranked by using the highest weighted average for any county within that metropolitan area.
Metropolitan Areas Most Polluted by Year-Round Particle Pollution (Annual PM2.5)
2005 Rank1 Metropolitan Statistical Areas
1 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, CA
2 Bakersfield,CA
3 Visalia-Porterville,CA
4 Pittsburgh-New Castle, PA
5 Fresno-Madera,CA
6 Detroit-Warren-Flint,MI
7 Hanford-Corcoran, CA
8 Cleveland-Akron-Elyria, OH
9 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Gainesville, GA
10 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH
10 Cincinnati-Middletown-Wilmington, OH-KY-IN
12 New York-Newark-Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA
12 Chicago-Naperville-Michigan City, IL-IN-WI
14 St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL
15 Canton-Massillon,OH
15 Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman,AL
17 Charleston, WV
18 York-Hanover-Gettysburg, PA
18 Merced,CA
18 Lancaster, PA
21 Louisville-Elizabethtown-Scottsburg, KY-IN
22 Indianapolis-Anderson-Columbus, IN
22 Columbus-Marion-Chillicothe,OH
24 Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV
24 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH
(1) Cities are ranked by using the highest weighted average for any county within that metropolitan area.
25 Counties Most Polluted by Long-Term Particle Pollution (Annual PM2.5)
2005 Rank1 County ST
1 Riverside CA
2 San Bernardino CA
3 Los Angeles CA
4 Kern CA
5 Tulare CA
6 Allegheny PA
7 Fresno CA
8 Wayne MI
9 Orange CA
10 Kings CA
11 Cuyahoga OH
12 Fulton GA
13 Hamilton OH
13 Jefferson OH
15 Lake IN
15 New York NY
17 Madison IL
18 Hancock WV
19 Cook IL
19 Jefferson AL
19 Stark OH
22 Scioto OH
23 Kanawha WV
24 Merced CA
24 Lancaster PA
24 York PA
(1) Counties are ranked by design value. The Design Value is the calculated concentration of a pollutant based on the form of the national ambient air quality standard, and is used by EPA to determine whether or not the air quality in a county meets the standard. The source for the Design Values is EPA, communication from the Office of Air Quality Planning & Standards, Mark Schmidt, February 1, 2005.(12) Grades are based on EPA’s determination of meeting or failure to meet the NAAQS for annual PM 2.5 levels during 2001-2003. Counties meeting the NAAQS received grades of Pass; counties not meeting received grades of Fail.
(1) Cities are ranked by using the highest weighted average for any county within that metropolitan area.
Counties with the Worst Ozone Air Pollution
2005 Rank1 County ST
1 San Bernardino CA
2 Kern CA
3 Fresno CA
4 Riverside CA
5 Tulare CA
6 Los Angeles CA
7 Merced CA
8 Harris TX
9 El Dorado CA
10 Sacramento CA
11 Tarrant TX
12 Nevada CA
13 Ventura CA
13 Fairfield CT
15 Camden NJ
16 Ocean NJ
17 Harford MD
18 Rowan NC
19 Anne Arundel MD
20 Mariposa CA
20 Placer CA
22 Kings CA
23 Geauga OH
24 Chester PA
25 Sevier TN
Well honestly it doesn't surprise me that many classic rust-belt cities made this list (St. Louis, Cleveland, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Youngstown, Columbus). I'm rather surprised Louisville only appeared once on this list. Those two cities have been rated among the worst for allergies and pollutants.
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Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
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bad air
