Milwaukee and the rest of Wisconsin are seeing air quality numbers that are among the worst in the world as wildfire smoke blankets the region on Thursday, July 16.
How bad is it? All of southeastern Wisconsin is under the “hazardous” category for its air quality, the highest on the scale. It’s the stage when Air Quality Index levels are above 300. Readings in Milwaukee as of 1 p.m. Thursday are more than double that, climbing above 600.
The website IQAir also tracks air quality numbers across the world for major cities. It lists Minneapolis as the worst with an AQI of 340. Many cities throughout Wisconsin, however, are actually all above it, placing Wisconsin at the center of the world’s worst air quality.
Here’s a list of AQI numbers in the Milwaukee area and across the state between 12:45 and 1:30 p.m. July 16.
What is the air quality in Wisconsin?
What is air quality right now in Wisconsin?
Track this map for up-to-date AQI numbers:
How is air quality measured?
The Air Quality Index is measured using a color-coded system:
Wisonsin under air quality alert
See photos of smoky air covering the state as an air quality alert has been extended until at least Friday, July 17.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: How bad are Wisconsin’s air quality totals? See these numbers.
Reporting by Christopher Kuhagen, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Christopher Kuhagen, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
