San Jose Air Quality Index (AQI) and California Air Pollution

In 2019, San Jose air quality averaged an overall US AQI rating of “good” and additionally met the more stringent World Health Organization (WHO) target for ... LogincityWorldUSACaliforniaSanJoseAirqualityinSanJoseAirqualityindex(AQI)andPM2.5airpollutioninSanJoseLOCATEMELASTUPDATE04:00,Dec19(localtime)209.1KpeoplefollowthiscitySanJoseAirQualityMapReal-timeSanJoseairpollutionmapExploremapAirQualityDatacontributor(s)Station(s)operatedbyContributorsSeeall8Jointhemovement!Getamonitorandcontributeairqualitydatainyourcity.BecomeacontributorFindoutmoreaboutcontributorsanddatasourcesWeatherWhatisthecurrentweatherinSanJose?WeatherClearskyTemperature4°CHumidity79%Wind1.6mp/hPressure1018mbliveaqicityrankingReal-timeUSAcityranking#cityUSAQI1Walnut,California1552Easton,California1543Coffeyville,Kansas1534Westwood,California1535Silverton,Colorado1526Cypress,California1517Compton,California1488CaliforniaCity,California1439Atwater,California13910MosesLake,Washington13504:00,Dec19(localtime)SEEWORLDAQIRANKING3DanimatedairpollutionmapliveSanJoseaqirankingReal-timeSanJoseairqualityranking#stationUSAQI1USMarineCorpsReserveCenterOutside1082LunaPark1063NagleePark1024BrookwoodAvenue&South20thBrookwood1015South18thStreet1006450South16thStreet997870North5thStreet998788North14thStreet979MahuronCircle9710AssuntaWay9604:00,Dec19(localtime)SEEWORLDAQIRANKINGSanJosewebcam11:15,Dec19IsthereairpollutioninSanJose?USAQI75liveAQIindexModerateOverviewWhatisthecurrentairqualityinSanJose?AirpollutionlevelAirqualityindexMainpollutantModerate75USAQIPM2.5PollutantsConcentrationPM2.523.4µg/m³!PM2.5x4.7PM2.5concentrationinSanJoseairiscurrently4.7timesabovetheWHOannualairqualityguidelinevalueHealthRecommendationsHowtoprotectfromairpollutioninSanJose?CloseyourwindowstoavoiddirtyoutdoorairSensitivegroupsshouldreduceoutdoorexerciseForecastSanJoseairqualityindex(AQI)forecastDayPollutionlevelWeatherTemperatureWindWednesday,Dec15Good 25USAQIThursday,Dec16Good 26USAQIFriday,Dec17Good 44USAQISaturday,Dec18Moderate 74USAQI14°4°7.2mp/hTodayModerate 75USAQI13°6°7.2mp/hMonday,Dec20Good 12USAQI11°7°7.2mp/hTuesday,Dec21Good 15USAQI14°11°10.8mp/hWednesday,Dec22Good 6USAQI14°8°25.2mp/hThursday,Dec23Good 7USAQI10°6°18mp/hFriday,Dec24Good 5USAQI10°7°18mp/hInterestedinhourlyforecast?GettheappHistoricalHistoricairqualitygraphforSanJoseHowtobestprotectfromairpollution?ReduceyourairpollutionexposureinSanJoseCarairpurifierAirpurifierAirqualitymonitorAIRQUALITYANALYSISANDSTATISTICSFORSanJoseHowbadistheairqualityinSanJose? In2019,SanJoseairqualityaveragedanoverallUSAQIratingof“good”andadditionallymetthemorestringentWorldHealthOrganization(WHO)targetforannualPM2.5exposureof<10μg/m3,withanaverageof6.4μg/m3.OnlyNovemberexceededthisstandard,withamonthlyAQIaverageof59(“moderate”)andPM2.5averageof15.9μg/m3. Pastyearshavenotbeenasclean.In2018,SanJoseAQIwas52(“moderate”)exceedingbothUSEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA)standardsandtheWHOannualtargetforPM2.5by2.4μg/m3.In2017,SanJosereceivedanannualAQIratingof43(“good”)butstillexceededthemorestringentWHOtargetby0.4μg/m3.18daysin2018didnotattainthenational24-hourlimitforPM2.5(35µg/m3),while3daysdidnotattainthenational8-hourozonestandardof0.070ppm.1 AccordingtotheStateoftheAirReportbytheAmericanLungAssociation,SanJose(includingtheSanFranciscoandOaklandarea)ranked3rdforworst24-hourparticlepollutionoutof216U.S.metropolitanareasand5thforworstannualparticlepollutionoutof204U.S.metropolitanareas.2 FortheBayArea,SanJosefaresslightlybetter,onaverage,thanthesurroundingcitiesofOaklandandSanFranciscoforairpollution.Similartothesecities,gas-poweredvehiclescomprisethemostsignificantairpollutionsourceinSanJose.Dailyemissionsarecommonlycompoundedasaresultofenvironmentalfactorsthatcontributetothetrappingofairpollutionintheatmosphere,includingmarineinversions,abundantsunshine,andthesurroundingmountains. Airpollutioncanvarysignificantlythroughoutthedaydependingonvariousemissionsourcesandenvironmentalfactors.DespiteSanJose’s“good”annualairqualitystatusin2019,it’simportanttostayinformedofreal-timeandforecastairqualitydatainordertoprotectoneselfandfamilyfromadversehealtheffects.RefertothetopofthispageforSanJose’sforecastairqualitydataandreal-timeairqualitydata. HasairqualityimprovedinSanJose? Overthelast50years,sincetheCleanAirActof1970,SanJose’sairqualityhasimprovedsignificantly.Impactfulregulationshaveincludedcontrolsonunleadedgasoline,increasinglystringentvehicleemissionchecks,smokestackscrubbersonindustrialexhaustsystems,andemissionlimits,amongnumerousothersaffectingawiderangeofindustries. SanJoseisregardedastheheartofSiliconValleyandtheUnitedStatestechindustry.Thecity’sflourishingeconomicactivityaroundtechnologyhashelpedestablishitspositionasthecitywiththehighestmedianhouseholdincomeintheU.S.foritssize.3Perhapsunsurprisingly,SanJose’srelativelyaffluentandtech-savvydemographichascontributedtoalargeshareofnewerenergy-efficientandelectriccarsontheroad. Currently,motorvehiclesaccountforroughly30%ofSanJose’sfineparticulatematter(PM2.5).4Aselectriccarsusingcleanerenergybecomealargershareofvehiclesontheroad,it’spossiblethatthisburdenontheairwillbegreatlyreduced. SanJosealreadyhasthehighestownershipofregisteredelectricvehiclesnationallyat21percent,andthisfigureisincreasingrapidly.5InOctober2019,thecitycouncilcommittedtoinvesting$14millionmoreintoelectricvehiclechargingstationsinthehopesofgrowingelectricvehicleownershipto61percentby2030anddrivingdowntransportrelatedemissions.6 DuringtheCOVID-19pandemicof2020,trafficcongestioninSanJosefellby70%.4TheBayAreaAirQualityManagementDistrict(BAAQMD)estimatedthatthiseffectcontributedtoa20%reductioninPM2.5pollutionanda40%reductionofnitrogenoxides,aprecursorpollutanttoozoneandsmog.Theseairqualityreductionsprovideawindowintowhatcanbeachievedbymovingtowardscleanerenergyandreducedtrafficemissions. LikemuchoftheBayArea,sporadicandunpredictablewildfireshavetheabilitytogreatlyimpactyearlydata,obscuringpollutiontrends.From2017to2018,forexample,SanJose’sairpollutionlevelsroseby19.2%inresponsetoaparticularlyseverewildfireseasonin2018.From2018to2019,airpollutionfellby48.3%duetoamoreaveragewildfireseasonduring2018.Asglobaltemperaturesrisewithclimatechangeanddroughtsbecomemorefrequent,wildfiresareexpectedtobecomemorenumerousandsevereinthefuture.Thisphenomenoncouldcounteractgainsmadebyshiftingtocleanerenergyandtransport. WhydoesSanJosehaveunhealthyairquality? SanJoseandthesurroundingBayareahavesomeoftheworstairqualityintheUnitedStatesdespiterelativelyfewpowerplantsandindustrialbusinesses,shiftstowardscleanerenergy,andaquicklyevolvingtransportationsectorwithagrowingshareofelectricvehicles. City-wideemissionsareprimarilyfrommobilesources,includingcars,heavy-dutytrucks,planes,andshipsfromnearbyports.Wildfires,thoughtemporaryandsporadic,contributetolargeairpollutionspikesandarecommonlythereasonthatairqualityinSanJosereaches“unhealthy”orworselevels.SanJose’smostpollutedmonthof2019wasNovemberbecauseofnearbywildfires,particularlytheKincadeFire. Outsideofdailyemissionsources,SanJose’senvironmentcanbeproblematicindispersingairpollution.Thecity’slocationonthesouthernshoreoftheSanFranciscoBaymeansthatthelocalclimateisoftenaffectedbymarineinversions,aweathereventdescribingcoolsurface-leveloceanairtrappedbywarmerairabove.Marineinversionscancauseairpollutiontoaccumulateandlingerintheloweratmosphereuntilweatherconditionschange.Themountainssurroundingthecitycanalsohaveasimilareffect,additionallyexacerbatingmarineinversions. Summertimeheat,expectedtoworsenwithclimatechange,isacontributortohighozonelevelsinsummerafternoons.OzoneisprimarilyformedintheatmospherewhenultravioletradiationfromthesuncausesnitrogenoxidesandVOCstoreact.Nonattainmentozonedays,dayswhenozonelevelsexceedairqualitystandardssetbyorganizationsliketheEPAandstate,inSanJoseoccuralmostexclusivelyinthesummer. UsetheairpollutionmapofSanJosetorevealreal-timepollutionconcentrationsandwinddirections,andbetterunderstandthesourceofunhealthyair. IstodayaSparetheAirdayinSanJose? SparetheAiralertsareairqualityadvisoriesissuedbytheBayAreaAirQualityManagementDistrict(BAAQMD)indicatingthatcurrentorforecastairpollutionlevelsareunhealthy.DuringaSanJoseSparetheAiralert,residentsarerecommendedtobothprotecttheirhealthbyreducingoutdooractivityandprotecttheiroutdoorenvironmentbyreducingpersonalemissions.7 SparetheAiralertscorrelatewiththeUSairqualityindex(AQI)systemandareusuallydictatedbyhighlevelsofPM2.5orozonepollution.WhentheSanJoseAQIexceeds100,“unhealthyforsensitivegroups,”analertispublished.ThiscorrelateswitheitheraPM2.5concentrationover35.4μg/m3oranozoneconcentrationover70ppb. InSanJose,SparetheAiralertsforPM2.5pollutiontypicallyoccurinthewinterorduringwildfireseason.In2019,forexample,NovemberwasthemostpollutedmonthinSanJoseasaresultoftheKincadeFirethatburnedinSonomaCounty,whichcausedaSparetheAiralerttobeissuedasAQIlevelsreached150andhigher,“unhealthy.”82020sawthehighestfrequencyofSparetheAiralertsintheBayAreaasaresultofarecord-breakingwildfireseason,whichcaused51alertsbyOctoberalone.9 SparetheAiralertsforozonepollution,ontheotherhand,occurmoreofteninthesummerwhentemperaturesarehottest.Thisisbecauseozoneisapollutantcreatedintheatmospherewhenprecursorpollutantsreactinsunlightandtemperatureswarmerthan84degrees.Thehotterthetemperatures,thefasterozoneislikelytoform.SantaClaraCounty,ofwhichSanJoseisapart,experiencesanaverageof2.8unhealthyozonedaysperyear. Pollutionlevelsforecastedtobe“orange,”“red,”“purple,”or“maroon”indicateaSparetheAiralert.UseSanJose’sforecastairqualitydataatthetopofthispagetounderstandwhenSparetheAiralertsarelikelytogointoplace.Duringsuchevents,followtherecommendedhealthprecautionsandavoiddriving,woodburning,andbarbecuingtohelpreduceyourpersonalimpactontheair. WhereissmokeinSanJosecomingfrom? SmokyairhasbecomepartofthenewnormalintheBayArea,especiallyduringthepeakwildfireseasonthatspansJulythroughNovember.Withinarecentfive-yearperiod(2015-2020),therehavebeen3record-breakingwildfireseasons:2017,2018and2020.SeveralofCalifornia'slargestwildfiresinhistoryhaveburnedclosetotheBayAreainrecentyears,includingthelargestfireinCaliforniahistorycalledtheAugustComplexFire(2020)andthethird-largestcalledtheSCULightningComplexFire(2020). ScientistsattributetheincreaseinwildfireactivityinCaliforniaandabroadtohuman-contributedclimatechange.Astemperaturesrise,morewaterislosttoevaporation,contributingtodrierconditions.Inrecentyears,wildfiresnearSanJosehaveignitedinwildernessareasallaroundtheBayArea.Thesefiresareathreatnotonlytotheenvironmentbutalsotopublichealth. SmokeconsistsofdeadlyPM2.5,carbonmonoxide,nitrogendioxide,formaldehyde,andacetaldehyde.Breathingthiscombinationofpollutantshasbeenlinkedtohospitalvisitsasaresultofrespiratoryirritationanddifficultybreathingaswellastomoreseriouseffectslikereducedlungfunction,inflammation,bronchitis,heartfailure,andevenearlydeath. TheIQAirairqualitymapofSanJoselocatesfiresusingNASA'sFireInformationforResourceManagementSystem(FIRMS)satelliteobservations.Understandwherefiresareburning,thedirectionofwind,andthedensityofnearbysmoke.Inrecentyears,firesinMendocino,Humboldt,Glenn,Sonoma,NapaandFresnohaveallcausedsignificantspikesinairquality. +ArticleResources [1]BayAreaairpollutionsummary–2018.(2018). [2]StateoftheAir–2020.(2020). [3]MostpopulatedcitiesintheU.S.-medianhouseholdincome2018.(2019). [4]RogersP.(2020,March23).Coronavirus:BayAreaairqualityisimprovingaspeoplestayhome. [5]MedinaM.(2019,June17).NewstudyshowsspikeinBayAreaelectriccarsale. [6]HaseG.(2019,October22).CityofSanJoseplanstodoubleelectriccarchargingstationswith$14millioninvestment. [7]SparetheAir.(2020).WhatisSparetheAir?BayAreaAirQualityManagementDistrict. [8]RogersP.(2019,October24).SmokefromKincadeFirecouldblanketBayArea.BayAreaNewsGroup. [9]KirkwoodK.(2020,October10).BayAreaseesrecordnumberofSparetheAiralertsin2020.KTVU. SanJoseairqualitydataattributionContributors8GovernmentCaliforniaAirResourcesBoard(CARB)2stationsBayAreaAirQualityManagementDistrict(BAAQMD)2stationsIndividualJonathanSorenson1stationMichiWatchdog1stationSasha1stationWillowGlen-Sandra1stationStanWatt1stationAnonymous183Anonymouscontributor183stationsDatasources5PurpleAirIQAirCaliforniaAirResourcesBoard(CARB)BayAreaAirQualityManagementDistrict(BAAQMD)AirNowDatavalidatedandcalibratedbyIQAirWhereisthecleanestairqualityinSanJose?SanJoseairpollutionbylocationGlenHeavenDrive15SanGregorio16GolfDrive21StephenWay23KahlerCourt46QuailCreekCircle47SantaFeDrive49BoseLane52AshlandWay53BannockCircle53BingDrive53TimberviewCourt53CollinsLane54HillcrestDrive54OrangebrickWay55ParkinsonCourt55AdelinePlace56CloverdaleLane57CowperCourt57Crossgatesneighborhood57Mosswooddr57WoodedLakeDrive57ThreeSpringsRanch58WhisperingOaksDrive58BegoniaDrive259BrianaCourt59CinnabarHillsGolfClub59HarkerLowerSchool59RamblewoodPark59VistaLoma594589JacksolDrive60BairdHouse60DePalmaDrive60LoneOakCircle60MontegoCourt60VillaCortonaWay60CrossgatesLane61RoundtreeDrive61SandraDrive61SilverCreekValley61TeresitaDrive61WalnutGroveAvenue615219HalifaxDrive62ApplewoodDrive62CollomiaCourt62CorumbaCourt62RivieraatSilverCreekValleyCountryClub62AlmadenWineryPark63Hunter'sHillRd63PentzWay63HanaleiPlace64IBMResearch-Almaden64TarangaCourt64BeckhamDrive65CheltenhamWay65Edenvale65GlenviewDrive65ParkinsonCourt265BrooktreeWay66JohnstonAvenue66MidWallaceDrive66ViaVespero66CalcaterraDrive67HillsdaleandCherry67SchieleAvenue67WarAdmiralAvenue67BenLomondWay68HamptonDrive68LoneHillDalton68NorthgroveLane68TanbarkStreet686475DeerHollowDrive69CedarGables69CrestwoodDrive69LinwoodDrive69BurningTreeDrive70GillianWay70HarkerUpperSchool70North9thandSaintJohn70PaseodeSanCarlos70RanwickCourt70IrisGardensCourt71AllenAvenue72GiddingsCourt72KnollwoodAvenue72MockingbirdHillLane72SanJoaquinAvenue726039AllenAvenue73AlexisDrive73EvergreenSanJose73RichlandAvenue73SakamotoElementary73106AgustinNarvaezStreet74WaldenSquare74CherrydaleDrive75HollowLakeWay75RamonaAvenue75CheshireDrive76ForesterCourt76WillowGlen76AmericaCenterDrive77EllenAvenue77WWilliamSt77WarnerDrive77BavettaSunolStreet78GoodwinAvenue78MarshallAvenue78RanchoSantaTeresa782604CherryAvenue793961HamiltonParkDrive79CamdenNearButcherPark79CollegeDr79ExplorerPreschool79LincolnGlen79YosemiteAvenue79CinnabarHillsRoad80GlenwoodAvenue80NDSJOutdoor80WillametteDrive801663Curtner812417DowningAvenue81FormosaDrive81KilmarnokDrive81PierceAvenue811201-1299McKendrieSt82452-498North3rdStreet82ColleenDrive82EBCSchool&ClinicalServices82NorthHenryAvenue82RosecrestTerrace82SilverEstates&SunnyOrchardLane82SpencerAvenue82SugarplumDrive82CoyoteCreekFieldStation83DiscoveryCharterSchool-Phoenix83HartfordAvenue83LynnAvenue83MichonDrive83PinehurstCabanaClub831565MartinAvenue84CourDuVin84LaurelwoodDrive84MinnesotaandCurtiss84RusticDrive84SanJose-KnoxAve84KatherineCourt85SanJose-JacksonStreet8510298CinnabarHillsRoad86FremontStreet86MindyWay86SouthGenevieveLane86SpringparkCircle86Evergreen87LosEsteros87Shastaneighborhood87Cory88EastSanJoseFoothills88GalenDrive88NewhallNeighborhood882001FortuneDrive89BranhamandKingspark89FrobisherWay89SunparkLane89WestburyDrive89BalsaAvenue92DeRomeDrive92LarsonAutomation921259TrumpeterPlace932360CherrystoneDrive935819ZilemanDrive93BrookwoodTerrace93ChapmanStreet&MorseStreet93RoyaleParkDrive&VistaparkDrive93BaypointeParkway294CreeksidePark94ThistleDr94405TerraceDrive95PhantomAvenue95AssuntaWay96PotreroDrive96788North14thStreet97MahuronCircle97450South16thStreet99870North5thStreet99South18thStreet100BrookwoodAvenue&South20thBrookwood101NagleePark102LunaPark106USMarineCorpsReserveCenterOutside108UniversityAvenueConnectWithIQAirSignupforournewsletterEmailIQAirsitesusecookiestoimproveyouronlineexperienceanddeliveradvertisementstailoredtoyourinterests.Click“ICONSENT”belowifyouconsenttoouruseofcookiesforthesepurposes.Formoreinformationaboutourhowweusecookies,includinghowtomanageyourcookiesettings,pleasereviewourPrivacyPolicy.ICONSENT Thishourlyrankingincludes2936USAcitieswithPM2.5AQI.Thishourlyrankingincludes190SanJosestationswithPM2.5AQI.