{"id":29745,"date":"2025-06-03T15:41:44","date_gmt":"2025-06-03T15:41:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/"},"modified":"2025-06-03T15:41:44","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T15:41:44","slug":"what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the Air Quality Index, the tool used to tell just how bad your city&#8217;s air is?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-6606220950177433\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- ItShrt World News -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-6606220950177433\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"1882483372\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p>Smoke from <span class=\"link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/baltimore\/news\/canadian-wildfire-smoke-across-maryland-heat-builds-wednesday\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\">wildfires in Canada<\/a><\/span> has drifted into the U.S., prompting <span class=\"link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/maps-us-air-quality-canada-wildfire-smoke-forecast\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\">air quality<\/a><\/span> alerts for Americans as it continues to spread.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But when officials and forecasters classify a city&#8217;s air as &#8220;unhealthy&#8221; or &#8220;hazardous,&#8221; what does that really mean? The classifications are based on a federal measurement system called the Air Quality Index.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>What is the Air Quality Index?\u00a0<\/h2>\n<p>The Air Quality Index is used nationwide to measure the severity of air pollution and categorize the health risks that are involved with various levels of pollution. The index uses six color-coated categories: good (green), moderate (yellow), unhealthy for sensitive groups (orange), unhealthy (red), very unhealthy (purple) and hazardous (maroon).\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"embed embed--type-image is-image embed--float-none embed--size-medium\">\n<p>      <span class=\"img embed__content\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2023\/06\/08\/9add4ee6-fc06-4d4f-baee-c7a512adac47\/thumbnail\/620x317\/8b2f0a326ce12f23433065d8baa55563\/screen-shot-2023-06-08-at-8-12-06-am.png?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66#\" alt=\"screen-shot-2023-06-08-at-8-12-06-am.png \" height=\"317\" width=\"620\" class=\" lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2023\/06\/08\/9add4ee6-fc06-4d4f-baee-c7a512adac47\/thumbnail\/620x317\/8b2f0a326ce12f23433065d8baa55563\/screen-shot-2023-06-08-at-8-12-06-am.png?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66 1x\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/span><figcaption class=\"embed__caption-container\">\n<p>                  <span class=\"embed__caption\">The Air Quality Index displayed on AirNow.gov shows the levels of classification for air pollution.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>                  <span class=\"embed__credit\"><\/p>\n<p>                AirNow.gov<\/p>\n<p>                          <\/span><br \/>\n              <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The health impacts included in the index are those that people are likely to experience within &#8220;a few hours or days&#8221; after being exposed to the air, the National Weather Service Says.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>How is air quality measured?\u00a0<\/h2>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weather.gov\/safety\/airquality-aqindex\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">National Weather Service<\/a> says that the Environmental Protection Agency calculates the Air Quality Index \u2013 a value between 0 and 500 \u2013 based on five &#8220;major pollutants.&#8221; Those pollutants \u2014 ground-level ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide \u2014 are all regulated by the Clean Air Act. Of those, ground-level ozone and airborne particles are considered &#8220;the greatest threat to human health.&#8221;\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>What do the numbers mean?\u00a0<\/h2>\n<p>Each Air Quality Index category, also known as the level of concern, is attached to a certain range of values:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Good (green): 0 to 50<\/li>\n<li>Moderate (yellow): 51 to 100<\/li>\n<li>Unhealthy for sensitive groups (orange): 101 to 150<\/li>\n<li>Unhealthy (red): 151 to 200\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Very unhealthy (purple): 201 to 300\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Hazardous (marron): 301 and higher<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Essentially, the lower the number, the cleaner the air. The only category where air quality is considered &#8220;satisfactory&#8221; is the one where the index value is no more than 50, although values between 51 and 100 are still considered &#8220;acceptable.&#8221; After that, the air could pose a risk to at least some people, and that risk only becomes greater as the index value rises.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Once the air is deemed &#8220;very unhealthy,&#8221; the general public is at risk of experiencing <span class=\"link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/health-effects-of-wildfire-smoke-bad-air-quality-toxic\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\">health impacts<\/a><\/span>, which range from a headache and fatigue to much more serious issues such as heart attack or stroke. At &#8220;hazardous&#8221; levels, the region is experiencing an air quality emergency. Those with chronic respiratory or cardiovascular conditions are more at risk of developing serious health issues as pollution worsens.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>What is the air quality near me?\u00a0<\/h2>\n<p>Air Quality Index values change constantly throughout the day as weather conditions and weather patterns move through the area. AirNow.gov uses the index to provide the latest status for your area. To use the site, enter your zip code and a meter will pop up showing you what the value and color category is for your city, as well as the last time that measurement was updated.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"embed embed--type-image is-image embed--float-none embed--size-medium\">\n<p>      <span class=\"img embed__content\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/assets2.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2023\/06\/08\/ac0f1656-951c-4bbf-aeba-a29247536b32\/thumbnail\/620x309\/ca6c2b286e10f107a6c468ba1f174367\/screen-shot-2023-06-08-at-8-33-56-am.png?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66#\" alt=\"screen-shot-2023-06-08-at-8-33-56-am.png \" height=\"309\" width=\"620\" class=\" lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets2.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2023\/06\/08\/ac0f1656-951c-4bbf-aeba-a29247536b32\/thumbnail\/620x309\/ca6c2b286e10f107a6c468ba1f174367\/screen-shot-2023-06-08-at-8-33-56-am.png?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66 1x\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/span><figcaption class=\"embed__caption-container\">\n<p>                  <span class=\"embed__caption\">AirNow.gov shows you what the Air Quality Index reading is for your city.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>                  <span class=\"embed__credit\"><\/p>\n<p>                AirNow.gov<\/p>\n<p>                          <\/span><br \/>\n              <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It also tells you what pollutant is causing issues, who is most at risk for health complications and what activities may be safe to do.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In Minneapolis, for example, the Tuesday morning reading said the AQI for PM2.5, a kind of particulate matter, is 203, meaning &#8220;very unhealthy,&#8221; and that people who have heart or lung disease, those who are elderly, and children and teens should avoid <span class=\"link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/exercising-in-bad-air-quality-negative-health-effects-heres-what-to-know\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\">outdoor physical activity<\/a><\/span>. In these conditions, everyone else should avoid &#8220;strenuous&#8221; and long outdoor activities.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- data-recirc-source=\"queryly\" --><\/p>\n<aside class=\"component list recirculation component--type-recirculation \">\n<p><h3 class=\"component__title\">More from CBS News<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p>    <!-- tags --><\/p>\n<div class=\"content-author\">\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/team\/li-cohen\/\" class=\"content-author__name\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\">Li  Cohen<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"content-author__bio\">\n<div class=\"content-author__full-information\">\n<p class=\"content-author__text\">Li Cohen is a senior social media producer at CBS News. She previously wrote for amNewYork and The Seminole Tribune. She mainly covers climate, environmental and weather news.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-6606220950177433\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- ItShrt World News -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-6606220950177433\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"1882483372\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/what-is-the-air-quality-index\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Smoke from wildfires in Canada has drifted into the U.S., prompting air quality alerts for Americans as it continues to<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":29746,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[340,3777,754,7354,7355,1134,7332],"class_list":["post-29745","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-us","tag-air-pollution","tag-air-quality","tag-canada","tag-east-coast","tag-northeast","tag-wildfire","tag-wildfire-smoke"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What is the Air Quality Index, the tool used to tell just how bad your city&#039;s air is? - World News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you&amp;#039;re seeing a thick haze outside your window, it&amp;#039;s likely air pollution. Here&amp;#039;s how to find out what the air quality is near you.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What is the Air Quality Index, the tool used to tell just how bad your city&#039;s air is? - World News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If you&amp;#039;re seeing a thick haze outside your window, it&amp;#039;s likely air pollution. Here&amp;#039;s how to find out what the air quality is near you.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"World News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-06-03T15:41:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66\" \/><meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"998\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"News\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"News\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"News\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#\/schema\/person\/1d8ae7348e048cb7984f26b4dd818ff2\"},\"headline\":\"What is the Air Quality Index, the tool used to tell just how bad your city&#8217;s air is?\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-06-03T15:41:44+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-03T15:41:44+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/\"},\"wordCount\":627,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=1200&resize=1200,630&ssl=1\",\"keywords\":[\"Air Pollution\",\"Air Quality\",\"Canada\",\"East Coast\",\"Northeast\",\"Wildfire\",\"Wildfire Smoke\"],\"articleSection\":[\"U.S.\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/\",\"name\":\"What is the Air Quality Index, the tool used to tell just how bad your city's air is? - World News\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=1200&resize=1200,630&ssl=1\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-06-03T15:41:44+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-03T15:41:44+00:00\",\"description\":\"If you&amp;#039;re seeing a thick haze outside your window, it&amp;#039;s likely air pollution. Here&amp;#039;s how to find out what the air quality is near you.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=1200&resize=1200,630&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=1200&resize=1200,630&ssl=1\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":630},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"What is the Air Quality Index, the tool used to tell just how bad your city&#8217;s air is?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/\",\"name\":\"World News\",\"description\":\"World News\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#organization\",\"name\":\"World News\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2025\/01\/cropped-download.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2025\/01\/cropped-download.png\",\"width\":581,\"height\":581,\"caption\":\"World News\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#\/schema\/person\/1d8ae7348e048cb7984f26b4dd818ff2\",\"name\":\"News\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/author\/admin\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"What is the Air Quality Index, the tool used to tell just how bad your city's air is? - World News","description":"If you&amp;#039;re seeing a thick haze outside your window, it&amp;#039;s likely air pollution. Here&amp;#039;s how to find out what the air quality is near you.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"What is the Air Quality Index, the tool used to tell just how bad your city's air is? - World News","og_description":"If you&amp;#039;re seeing a thick haze outside your window, it&amp;#039;s likely air pollution. Here&amp;#039;s how to find out what the air quality is near you.","og_url":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/","og_site_name":"World News","article_published_time":"2025-06-03T15:41:44+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66","type":"","width":"","height":""},{"url":"https:\/\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66","width":1920,"height":998,"type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"News","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_image":"https:\/\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"News","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/"},"author":{"name":"News","@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#\/schema\/person\/1d8ae7348e048cb7984f26b4dd818ff2"},"headline":"What is the Air Quality Index, the tool used to tell just how bad your city&#8217;s air is?","datePublished":"2025-06-03T15:41:44+00:00","dateModified":"2025-06-03T15:41:44+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/"},"wordCount":627,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=1200&resize=1200,630&ssl=1","keywords":["Air Pollution","Air Quality","Canada","East Coast","Northeast","Wildfire","Wildfire Smoke"],"articleSection":["U.S."],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/","url":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/","name":"What is the Air Quality Index, the tool used to tell just how bad your city's air is? - World News","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=1200&resize=1200,630&ssl=1","datePublished":"2025-06-03T15:41:44+00:00","dateModified":"2025-06-03T15:41:44+00:00","description":"If you&amp;#039;re seeing a thick haze outside your window, it&amp;#039;s likely air pollution. Here&amp;#039;s how to find out what the air quality is near you.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=1200&resize=1200,630&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=1200&resize=1200,630&ssl=1","width":1200,"height":630},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/what-is-the-air-quality-index-the-tool-used-to-tell-just-how-bad-your-citys-air-is\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"What is the Air Quality Index, the tool used to tell just how bad your city&#8217;s air is?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#website","url":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/","name":"World News","description":"World News","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#organization","name":"World News","url":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2025\/01\/cropped-download.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2025\/01\/cropped-download.png","width":581,"height":581,"caption":"World News"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#\/schema\/person\/1d8ae7348e048cb7984f26b4dd818ff2","name":"News","url":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/author\/admin\/"}]}},"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=150&resize=150,150&ssl=1","medium":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=300&resize=300,300&ssl=1","medium_large":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=768&resize=768,0&ssl=1","large":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=1024&resize=1024,1024&ssl=1","1536x1536":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=1536&resize=1536,1536&ssl=1","2048x2048":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=2048&resize=2048,2048&ssl=1","colormag-highlighted-post":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=392&resize=392,272&ssl=1","colormag-featured-post-medium":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=390&resize=390,205&ssl=1","colormag-featured-post-small":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=130&resize=130,90&ssl=1","colormag-featured-image":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=800&resize=800,445&ssl=1","colormag-default-news":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=150&resize=150,150&ssl=1","colormag-featured-image-large":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=1400&resize=1400,600&ssl=1","colormag-elementor-block-extra-large-thumbnail":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=1155&resize=1155,480&ssl=1","colormag-elementor-grid-large-thumbnail":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=600&resize=600,417&ssl=1","colormag-elementor-grid-small-thumbnail":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=285&resize=285,450&ssl=1","colormag-elementor-grid-medium-large-thumbnail":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=575&resize=575,198&ssl=1"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"News","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e85cf08852547781a5f631f3713dbb5197ed4b54e32ae19c7d5769b8c8504897?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":false,"magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"Smoke from wildfires in Canada has drifted into the U.S., prompting air quality alerts for Americans as it continues to","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["U.S."],"magazineBlocksPostViewCount":35,"magazineBlocksPostReadTime":4,"magazine_blocks_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=1200&resize=1200,630&ssl=1",1200,630,false],"medium":["https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=300&resize=300,300&ssl=1",300,300,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2025\/06\/03\/db5f9306-4448-4a1e-a182-fa6a42cf83a1\/thumbnail\/1200x630\/be197210579b774ec9555c0fa080011c\/gettyimages-1504203281.jpg?v=56a3e14bdf9c98ad3b2e8fa3a2dc5f66&w=150&resize=150,150&ssl=1",150,150,false]},"magazine_blocks_author":{"display_name":"News","author_link":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/author\/admin\/"},"magazine_blocks_comment":0,"magazine_blocks_author_image":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e85cf08852547781a5f631f3713dbb5197ed4b54e32ae19c7d5769b8c8504897?s=96&d=mm&r=g","magazine_blocks_category":"<a href=\"#\" class=\"category-link category-link-33\">U.S.<\/a>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29745","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29745"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29745\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29746"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29745"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29745"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29745"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}