Were Sarasota air quality readings inaccurate during recent smoky conditions?

The Air Quality Index (AQI) was accurate earlier this week, and it did take into account the smoky air some residents reported on June 8.

That night, the AQI mostly sat in the “Good” range. However, it was only a few points under a “Moderate” health risk warning. Later that night and into Tuesday morning, the AQI had entered the “Moderate” phase, which is defined as “acceptable” with potential risks for “those who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.”

Residents were correct in noticing something off with the air quality, as smoke from fires burning in east-central Florida were being pushed westward. 

The AQI scale ranges from “Good,” “Moderate,” “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups,” “Unhealthy,” “Very Unhealthy” and “Hazardous.” AQI levels reached “Unhealthy” at one point Tuesday morning, but since the smoke was fleeting in time and place, it didn’t impact the county’s overall AQI projection of “Moderate.”