Will there be more bad air quality in central Iowa this year?

If you think air quality has been a bad issue this year, you are not wrong. Since 2000, this year has been the worst year for air quality in the Des Moines area. Above video: Smoke in Iowa's air increases risk of sudden cardiac arrestI determined this by looking at the number of code orange air and or worse quality days. When the air quality index for a specific site ranges between 101-150, it is categorized as "code orange" or "unhealthy for sensitive groups" like people with respiratory issues. Code red is deemed when the air quality index for a site ranges from 151-200 and is categorized as “unhealthy” for all people. This year, a code orange or higher air quality has been declared 14 times in Des Moines with three of those days being classified as code red. Nine of the 14 days with code orange or worse air quality have had ozone listed as the primary pollutant, while the other five days had smoke listed as the primary pollutant. 2023 has had the most ozone primary pollutant days in Des Moines since 2007. Ozone and smoke are typically the greatest contributors to poor air quality. Ozone is a gas that forms when sunlight reacts with the exhaust from vehicles, power plants, solvents and paints. When ozone resides in the layer of the atmosphere above the layer where most of our weather occurs, it is beneficial because it shields Earth from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. However, when it mixes down or becomes trapped at the surface, it can be harmful for humans to breathe. Smoke is a fine particulate matter that is smaller than mold, dust, and hair particles that can travel into the lungs and bloodstream creating a host of health problems. This year aside, the trend for ozone accounting for code orange or worse air quality days has been decreasing. Smoke remains an issue for air pollution and has resulted in three of our worst air quality days so far this year for Central Iowa on June 28, June 29, and July 23 respectively. This year’s smoke has primarily been attributed to out-of-control wildfires in multiple Canadian provinces. Smoke-generated air pollution can also be induced by local human activities such as fireworks similar to the night following Independence Day 2020.Current and archived air quality information can be found on the Federal Government Air Now website and the US EPA.