⬤ PurpleAir · Real-Time Sensors
26
Good
5 sensors · updates every 2 min
PM2.5: 6.2 µg/m³
Air quality is fine. Go outside.
◎ AirNow · Official EPA Reading
43
Good
driven by ozone
Reported 6:00 PM EST · updates hourly
⚠ May be delayed — check PurpleAir
Air quality is fine. Go outside.
Smoke (PM2.5): 20 — Good
☔ Rain scrubs smoke particles from the air — AQI typically returns to normal levels during and after rainfall.
Fire & Smoke maps use satellite imagery — plumes may not show at night or under heavy cloud cover. Use the HRRR forecast below for a ground-level view.
Surface smoke forecast (NOAA HRRR model) — click ▶ Play to animate the next 48 hours. Model updates at 2 AM, 8 AM, 2 PM & 8 PM EDT
US EPA Air Quality Index Scale
0–50
Good — little or no risk
51–100
Moderate — unusually sensitive people may have symptoms
101–150
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups — kids, older adults, lung/heart conditions
151–200
Unhealthy — everyone may begin to feel effects
201–300
Very Unhealthy — health alert; everyone affected
301–500
Hazardous — emergency conditions; stay indoors
Poor air quality? Do this now.
Six things that actually reduce what reaches your lungs. Takes about two minutes.
1
Turn on a HEPA filter and leave it running. Don’t cycle it on and off — it needs time to work through the whole room’s air.
2
Close the windows — and storm windows too. Including overnight when the cool air is tempting. Storm windows add a second barrier that reduces particle infiltration significantly.
3
Hit recirculate in the car. The button with the arrow looping inside the car outline. Pulling outside air in means your cabin filter is fighting a losing battle.
4
Wear an N95 outdoors. Cloth and surgical masks do not stop these particles — it has to seal against your face. Walmart carries them in the home improvement section near the paint, around $8 for a two-pack. Check that “N95” is printed on the mask itself. The ones with a small round valve are worth grabbing — the valve vents heat so you’ll actually keep it on. Protection is identical either way.
5
Check your central air filter — use MERV 12 or higher if your system supports it. Standard filters (MERV 1–8) don’t catch fine particles. A MERV 12+ filter traps PM2.5-sized particles through your whole home’s airflow. Check your furnace manual or the filter slot label for the maximum MERV rating your system supports — too high a rating restricts airflow and can strain the blower.
6
Check on the people who feel it first — anyone with asthma, COPD, or heart disease, young kids, older adults, anyone pregnant. A bad air day is a reason to change plans, not tough it out.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) — Erie Region
Real-time VOC readings from PurpleAir sensors across the Erie region, in Bosch Static IAQ units, updated every two minutes.
How to read VOC readings
0100200300400500+
Lighter shade = fewer VOCs detected. Darker shade = more. The scale is experimental — PurpleAir assigns no health categories because the same reading can come from a backyard grill, a passing truck, or a nearby factory. Watch the trend, not a single spike.