Chicago Air Quality Hits 128 as Canadian Wildfire Smoke Returns, Ranking 4th Worst Worldwide
Updated
Updated · Block Club Chicago · Jul 19
Chicago Air Quality Hits 128 as Canadian Wildfire Smoke Returns, Ranking 4th Worst Worldwide
3 articles · Updated · Block Club Chicago · Jul 19
Summary
Chicago posted an Air Quality Index of 128 on Sunday evening, putting the city back in the unhealthy range for sensitive groups after smoke from Canadian wildfires drifted in Saturday night.
IQAir briefly ranked Chicago as the world's second-worst major city for air quality early Sunday before it improved slightly to fourth worst by late Sunday.
An air quality alert remains in effect through midnight Sunday, and the National Weather Service said the unhealthy conditions could linger into Monday unless uncertain severe storms push the smoke out Monday night.
The renewed pollution follows only a short break late Friday and Saturday after Chicago's AQI surged to 638 this week — a Cook County record that shut beaches and pools and postponed outdoor events.