AQAFFC
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division has issued a Code Orange (Unhealthy for sensitive groups) Air Quality Alert for Atlanta for Thursday October 15.
Under Code Orange conditions, the outdoor air quality is likely to be unhealthy for some people. Children, people who are sensitive to ozone, and people with heart or lung disease should limit prolonged outdoor exertion during the late afternoon or early evening when ozone concentrations are highest.
For additional information on the Air Quality Index, please visit http://airnow.gov.
This advisory concerns ozone, which this site does not measure — the readings here are PM2.5.
issued Oct 14, 1:46PM · source: National Weather Service
Smoke is expected to arrive around Oct 15, 5:00AM and clear by about Oct 15, 2:00PM.
Unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged outdoor exertion.
Background bands (US EPA AQI, 24-h basis): ■ Good · ■ Moderate · ■ Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
| Model | Peak PM2.5 | Peak around |
|---|---|---|
| HRRR-Smoke (NOAA, 3 km) | 5 µg/m³ | Oct 15, 12:00PM |
| FireWork (ECCC) | 40 µg/m³ | Oct 15, 8:00AM |
| FireSmoke (UBC BlueSky) | 4 µg/m³ | Oct 15, 7:00PM |
Model values are for the nearest forecast grid cell to Atlanta; FireSmoke, FireWork and HRRR are independent and often disagree — treat the highest available value as the cautious planning number.
Observations and NowCast are total PM2.5 — wildfire smoke plus every other source — as regulatory monitors measure it, and FireWork models that same total. FireSmoke and HRRR-Smoke estimate the wildfire contribution only, so they read lower than the monitors whenever other sources matter. The optional map plume surfaces are likewise fires-only.
Little smoke at the surface or overhead.
● At the ground · ● Overhead (if mixed down)
Overhead smoke dims the sun but is not what you breathe. The dashed line shows the surface level if the whole column mixed through the boundary layer — a worst case, not a forecast · Data: NOAA HRRR-Smoke; cloud cover is from the model, not observed
Within 100 mi, agencies report 1 Mostly contained (70%+).
No not contained fires are reported in this state.
No partially contained fires are reported in this state.
Proximity and wind direction do not prove that a fire caused smoke at this location. Source: National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC); incident points and containment as reported by the responsible agencies.
29-day record · 5 nearby monitors
| Model | Typical error | Tendency |
|---|---|---|
| FireWork | 3.4 µg/m³ | reads high 0.8 |
| FireSmoke | 6.2 µg/m³ | reads low 5.9 |
| HRRR-Smoke | 6.9 µg/m³ | reads low 6.9 |
Mean absolute error and average tendency in µg/m³, from forecasts verified 0–6 hours ahead at monitors within 50 km. A short-range record, not a measure of how far ahead a model stays reliable. FireSmoke and HRRR model wildfire smoke only, so they read below the monitors whenever other sources of PM2.5 matter.