The Somerset Scoop / Tools

Is the air okay today?

Wildfire smoke doesn't need a wildfire here to ruin a day here: plumes from fires hundreds of miles away settle over the county a few times a year. This page pulls the Weather Service's live alerts for Somerset and the current air readings from the four closest state monitors, fresh on every load.

Live NWS alerts + EPA AirNow

Alerts for Somerset right now

Checking the Weather Service…

The nearest monitors

Somerset has no air monitor of its own, so these are the four closest reporting areas around the county. On a smoke day the numbers move region-wide, so if they're bad, assume the county matches.

Reading the monitors…

Alerts: National Weather Service, live for the Somerset zone. Readings and forecasts: EPA AirNow via this site, refreshed about every 15 minutes. National smoke picture: AirNow's fire and smoke map.

What the numbers mean

0 to 50 · Good Breathe easy, do everything.
51 to 100 · Moderate Fine for almost everyone. Unusually sensitive people take it easier outside.
101 to 150 · Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Kids, older adults, and anyone with asthma or heart or lung disease should cut back on time and effort outdoors.
151 to 200 · Unhealthy Everyone should cut back outdoors. Move the run, the practice, and the yard work indoors or to another day.
201 to 300 · Very Unhealthy Skip outdoor activity. Sensitive groups stay inside.
301+ · Hazardous Everyone stays inside with windows shut.

On a smoke day

  1. The particles that matter are the fine ones (PM2.5). They go straight past your nose and throat, which is why smoky air can hurt even when it barely smells.
  2. Close the windows and run the air conditioner on recirculate. A HEPA purifier in the room you use most does real work.
  3. If you have to work outside for long stretches, an N95 fits the job. A loose cloth mask does roughly nothing for smoke.
  4. Check on neighbors who are older or live with asthma, COPD, or heart disease. Smoke days hit them first and hardest.

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