Air Quality

Air quality is an important aspect of everyone's health and well-being. It's important for us to be aware of any threats to our air quality and to understand the proper precautions to take when poor air quality can affect our health. Ground-level ozone, particle pollution, and smoke from wildfires are just some examples of threats to air quality that we need to be mindful of. 

Below are some links to groups like the CDC, EPA and Massachusetts Department of Health which provide us with tools and information to keep us safe. 

For Urgent Air Quality Alerts


MassAir Online: Will display current Air Quality Advisory information



For State and Federal Air Quality Information


AirNow - https://www.airnow.gov/?city=Amherst&state=MA&country=USA - This site provides live data and assesses the current air quality in our area. It also provides recommendations based on the level of air quality.

CDC Air Quality -https://www.cdc.gov/air/default.htm - Learn about different threats to our air quality.

Department of Environmental Protection - http://eeaonline.eea.state.ma.us/dep/massair/web/#/pollution/map/max - MassAir allows you to view pollution levels on a map and track air quality trends. You can also view the forecast of specific pollutants.

MDEP - https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-department-of-environmental-protection#news - Visit this link for any news and announcements regarding air quality advisories 


For Community supported, Local Information

Healthy Air Network 

The Healthy Air Network was established in 2021 by the City of Springfield, the City of Holyoke, the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts, Live Well Springfield, PV Asthma Coalition, ReGreen Springfield, the Earthwatch Institute, and the Yale School of Public Health. The Hitchcock Center joined our collaboration in 2022.

Purple Air

PurpleAir is a community system of individually owned, low cost sensors measuring particulate matter, PM (10, 2.5, 1.0). The sensors use a fan to draw air past a laswer, causing reflections from particles in the air. It is one piece of information, coupled with other state and federal measurements.