Highlights
- The Central Phoenix AQS station logged PM10 at 1,229.0 µg/m³ at 5 a.m. on Aug. 4, 2026.
- That reading exceeds AirNow's 'Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups' breakpoint for PM10 particulate matter.
- Maricopa County Air Quality Department operates the station; residents can track current conditions via AirNow.
- CO, NO2, and ozone readings at the same station and hour were within normal ranges.
A particulate matter spike at the Central Phoenix air monitoring station registered PM10 at 1,229.0 µg/m³ at 5 a.m. Tuesday, according to EPA AirNow hourly aggregate data reported by the Maricopa County Air Quality Department. The reading crossed AirNow's threshold for Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups on the PM10 scale.
Other pollutants recorded at the same station (AQS site ID 040133002) during the same hour showed no comparable elevation: carbon monoxide came in at 0.1 PPM, nitrogen dioxide at 2.0 PPB, and ozone at 38.0 PPB.
Maricopa County operates a Rapid Response Notification System that sends email and text alerts when dust pollution levels rise at selected monitoring locations, including a South Phoenix station on Central Avenue. Residents can sign up through the county's notification page.
Current forecast conditions and any active advisories for the Phoenix area are available on the EPA AirNow Phoenix page. For health guidance specific to this reading, the Maricopa County Air Quality Department is the authoritative source.
Sources
Every factual claim in this article traces to one of the sources below. See how we work for the editorial process.
- 040133002 retrieved 04/08/2026 06:48
- Maricopa County retrieved 04/08/2026 06:48
Authored by The Scottsdale Signal. Drafted by AI from primary-source material under our beat-specific editorial guides; reviewed by humans before publish under our five-gate process. Sources retrieved at 04/08/2026 06:48. Every claim traces to a source.
