CA is kind of interesting. Looks like the high particulate areas are in the large basin between the costal and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges.
The standard is 9 today. It was 12 but was lowered to 9 by the Biden Administration. The Trump Administration seems poised to raise the standard back to 12
Southern San Joaquin Valley (Bakersfield, Visalia, Fresno in CA) is always high in air pollution. There’s all the agricultural activity, but in addition, all air pollution from the Bay Area and the northern San Joaquin Valley is blown southward until it reaches the Tehachapi Mountains and stops, essentially becoming a concentrated bowl of haze.
I grew up in the northern San Joaquin Valley, and you used to be able to see Half Dome on a clear day. Now there’s just enough haze normally that you can’t.
Frustrating color choices for colourblind folk
I wonder what the levels looked like during the Canadian Cigarette of ’23.
![[OC] Airborne Particulate Levels in the US](https://www.europesays.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/z8ytdsikqd0f1-1080x1024.jpg)
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Data: [https://www.epa.gov/air-trends/air-quality-design-values#report](https://www.epa.gov/air-trends/air-quality-design-values#report)
Tools: R (packages: dplyr, ggplot2, sf, usmap, tools, ggfx, grid, scales)
That grey is almost invisible
Bakersfield is three-times cursed
CA is kind of interesting. Looks like the high particulate areas are in the large basin between the costal and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges.
The standard is 9 today. It was 12 but was lowered to 9 by the Biden Administration. The Trump Administration seems poised to raise the standard back to 12
Southern San Joaquin Valley (Bakersfield, Visalia, Fresno in CA) is always high in air pollution. There’s all the agricultural activity, but in addition, all air pollution from the Bay Area and the northern San Joaquin Valley is blown southward until it reaches the Tehachapi Mountains and stops, essentially becoming a concentrated bowl of haze.
I grew up in the northern San Joaquin Valley, and you used to be able to see Half Dome on a clear day. Now there’s just enough haze normally that you can’t.
Frustrating color choices for colourblind folk
I wonder what the levels looked like during the Canadian Cigarette of ’23.
Finally some good shit in this sub!!!
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