This is based on new measures of hazardous air pollutants from the EPA, called the National Air Toxics Assessment. (2018). Due to its proximity to the coast, Santa Monica typically doesn’t experience poor air quality relative to the urban areas around it, such as the city of Los Angeles. Interested in hourly forecast? LOS ANGELES, CA — The air in Los Angeles reached a choking level of ozone not seen in a generation during the Labor Day weekend heat wave, according to air quality readings. PM2.5 are tiny particles in the air which reduce visibility and cause the air to appear hazy when levels are elevated. Get real-time, historical and forecast PM2.5 and weather data. Air quality data in the Santa Monica and nearby coastal areas is still somewhat sparse, but predictive data based on IQAir AirVisual artificial intelligence insights help fill in the gaps in data regarding air pollution levels in Santa Monica. Small numbers of laboratory-confirmed influenza cases or a single laboratory-confirmed influenza outbreak has been reported, but there is no increase in cases of ILI. City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report. In August 2020, wildfires in the Bay Area and in Los Angeles County caused daily PM2.5 levels to spike nearly four times from a daily average of 10 µg/m3 as high as 41.8 µg/m3 in a matter of days.

[4] Pauker M. (2019, March 14). In the recreation area's enabling legislation, public law 95-625 specified that "...the Secretary shall manage the Recreation Area in a manner which will preserve and enhance...its public value as an air shed for the Southern California metropolitan area.".

An inversion happens when a layer of warm air in the upper atmosphere traps pollutants in colder air in the lower atmosphere. Nearby wildfire smoke can also impact air quality in Santa Monica. Santa Monica Daily Press. Take control of your data. In the presence of temperature inversions, visibility is greatly decreased and pollutants are trapped close to the ground in the basins of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the Santa Monica area is 34 (100=best). 53. Primary Pollutant. Santa Monica, CA air quality report and information. A marine inversion is a specific type of inversion that happens when cool, moist, dense air blows inland from the ocean and underneath the warmer, drier, less dense air higher in the atmosphere.

Ozone is also what’s called a secondary pollutant – it doesn’t occur naturally on its own, but rather develops when other pollutants at ground level, especially NOx and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are emitted by vehicle exhaust, react with heat from sunlight, resulting in chemical reactions that produce O3 molecules. Transfers Magazine. Long-term exposure aggravates heart and lung disease.

This means that pollutants present in the lower atmosphere from vehicle traffic and other low-lying pollutants are unable to rise into the atmosphere and disperse, allowing them to build up to high concentrations in the cool, moist air at low elevations. Coastal winds and offshore breezes blow low-lying pollutants, such as PM2.5, away from the city in a southerly direction down the California coast and inland, primarily eastward towards other coastal cities in western Los Angeles County and even further … However, like much of Los Angeles County, Santa Monica is densely populated, currently home to approximately 90,000 residents.2 Several major highways and thoroughfares pass through the Santa Monica city limits as well – the US Interstate 10 highway has its western terminus within the Santa Monica city limits, and the scenic Pacific Coast Highway 1 (often called PCH in local vernacular) takes drivers through Santa Monica between its storied Santa Monica Pier and Ocean Ave, which contains numerous luxury hotels, apartments, and shopping centers that attract over 8 million visitors a year from around the world.3.


What makes Santa Monica smog so toxic? Though this figure seems like a drop in the bucket, local public transportation can help continue to reduce vehicle traffic in the area by providing more frequent boarding times for the Expo Line, increasing the presence of low-emission, fuel-efficient bus lines, and increasing the availability of walkable and bike-able spaces throughout the city. Please select the information that is incorrect. Is an air pollutant that is a concern for people's health when levels are high. Monster Bash 2020 For Meals On Wheels West: West L.A. Halloween Drive-In Movie Nights 2020: Malibu, Learn How To Get A $200 AT&T Visa® Card When You Sign Up For TV, Yoga Teacher Training with Caroline Klebl, LA Approves More Business Reopenings, Plans for Testing Expansion, Ways To Help On Make A Difference Day In Santa Monica, Nonprofit Brings Mobile Laundry Service To LA's Homeless, Santa Monica Pier Gets Spooky Design For Halloween, After Dog Abuse Claims, Animal Activist Charged With Misdemeanors.

Scientific studies have found that rising temperatures are making smog harder to control by speeding up the photochemical reactions that generate ozone gas. So it's no coincidence that the highest ozone readings usually happen when the weather is hottest, The Times reported. The development of especially strong temperature inversions, which inhibit vertical air mixing, occurs especially during the summer months. Over time, ozone exposure can also cause airway infections and even contribute to premature death linked to air pollution due to chronic lung damage.

Use the Santa Monica air quality map to keep track of hyperlocal changes in pollution levels, including along Santa Monica’s famed shopping thoroughfare known as the 3rd Street Promenade. We will review the data in question. This term refers to particle pollutants that measure less than 2.5 microns across. Limit sun exposure to 17-50 minutes.

Get the app, Reduce your air pollution exposure in Santa Monica.

Ozone pollution is typically much worse during the summer. PM2.5.