Outdoor air in the United States is cleaner now than it used to be because of air pollution controls. However, air pollutants from sources like traffic or wildfire smoke can still harm people’s health. The Missouri Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) Program provides data on air quality in Missouri.
How is Air Quality Monitored?
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources runs air monitors to check if air quality meets standards, track pollution trends, and find pollution sources. These monitors measure harmful pollutants like ground-level ozone, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide.
Health Effects
Breathing polluted air can cause:
- Irritation in your lungs, throat or eyes
- Feeling tired or short of breath
- Cough, wheezing or trouble breathing
- Worsening breathing problems like asthma, COPD or emphysema
- Fast heartbeat
- Chest pain or tightness
- More lung infections like pneumonia or bronchitis
Over time, breathing air pollution can lead to:
- Poor birth outcomes, like low birth weight
- Slow lung growth in children
- Lung cancer
Children, teenagers, older adults, pregnant women, people with ongoing lung or heart conditions, and people who work or exercise outdoors are more likely to be affected by air pollution.
Health Tips
Keep an eye on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Air Quality Index (map below).
- Follow the AQI guide below to reduce or avoid outdoor activities.
- Keep windows and doors closed.
- In hot weather, run your air conditioning with the fresh air intake closed, or go to a local cooling center.
- Use an indoor air filter. Avoid smoking, burning candles or using a gas stove to keep indoor air clean.
- If you have asthma, follow your asthma action plan and keep quick relief medicine on hand.
- Call your doctor right away if you have any unusual symptoms, like racing heart, shortness of breath or feeling very tired.
- Limit outdoor time for your pets, since they can also be harmed by air pollution.
Air Quality Data
The Missouri EPHT Program provides data on air quality, including data on ground-level ozone, particular matter 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter (PM2.5) and particulate matter 10 micrometers or less in diameter (PM10).
Missouri EPHT - Air Quality Query
Search this query to find:
Highest annual average concentrations of ozone, PM2.5, and PM10
Number of days ozone, PM2.5, and PM10 concentrations were above EPA's air quality standard
Percent of days ozone, PM2.5, and PM10 concentrations were above EPA's air quality standard
Number of days the Air Quality Index (AQI) was good, moderate, unhealthy for sensitive populations, unhealthy, very unhealthy, and hazardous
Percent of days the Air Quality Index (AQI) was good, moderate, unhealthy for sensitive populations, unhealthy, very unhealthy, and hazardous
Other Data Sources
Other data sources provide additional air quality data.
Current Air Quality
This AirNow map shows current outdoor air quality using the U.S. EPA's Air Quality Index (AQI). The colored areas show different air quality levels based on pollution from ozone and particulate matter. Particulate matter includes larger particles like dust, soot, or smoke (PM10) and tiny particles that can reach deeply into the lungs (PM2.5). As pollutant levels rise, the air becomes less healthy to breathe, and more people may experience health effects. Use the map legend in the map and table below to understand AQI values.
Air quality can change daily or even hourly. This AirNow map updates every hour. To see the green (good air quality) areas, click the Layers symbol on the map, then click the "show green contours" box under Contours. Click on the Forecast, Loops or Archive to see predicted and past air quality. AirNow is a partnership of the EPA and multiple federal, state, local, and tribal agencies. For more information, visit www.AirNow.gov.
Air Quality Index Guide
| Air Quality | AQI Value | Recommendations |
|---|---|---|
| Good | 0-50 | It's a great day for everyone to be active outdoors. |
| Moderate | 51-100 | A very small number of individuals unusually sensitive to ozone or particle pollution are at risk during periods of activity. Unusually sensitive people should consider making outdoor activities shorter or less intense and watch for symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath. |
| Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | 101-150 | Sensitive groups* should make outdoor activities shorter and less intense, take more breaks and watch for symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath. |
| Unhealthy | 151-200 | Sensitive groups* should avoid long or intense outdoor activities and consider rescheduling or moving activities indoors. Everyone else should reduce long or intense activities outdoors and take more breaks. |
| Very Unhealthy | 201-300 | Sensitive groups* should avoid all physical activity outdoors and either move activities indoors or reschedule to when air quality is better. Everyone else should avoid long or intense activities outdoors and consider rescheduling or moving activities indoors. |
| Hazardous | 301+ | Sensitive Groups* should stay indoors and keep activity levels low. Everyone should avoid all physical activity outdoors. |
*Sensitive groups are children, teenagers, older adults, pregnant women, people with ongoing lung or heart conditions, and people who work or exercise outdoors.
Wildfire Smoke
Wildfire smoke can come from a nearby wildfire or travel hundreds of miles, appearing like haze. It contains gases and particles that can affect your health even far from the fire.
Visit AirNow’s Air Quality Map and Fire and Smoke Map to view current fire locations, smoke plumes and air quality. If you have questions about breathing wildfire smoke, call your doctor or poison control center at 1-800-222-1222.