Air quality alert in effect Thursday for Centre County and beyond. What to know
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- DEP issued a statewide Code Red alert due to expected air pollution from wildfire smoke.
- State College is expected to have an “unhealthy” Air Quality Index of 165 Thursday.
- DEP expects the AQI to improve to about 130 Friday and about 70 by Saturday.
Wildfire smoke from Canada and Minnesota is expected to cause unhealthy air quality levels in Centre County and beyond Thursday, leading the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to formally issue a statewide alert warning of the conditions.
As part of the Code Red Air Quality Alert, all residents are asked to consider limiting their outdoor activities Thursday, but sensitive groups — such as children, the elderly and those with respiratory illnesses — are especially asked to strongly consider moving activities indoors.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency measures air quality levels from 0 to 500 in six color-coded categories, from moderate green (0-50) to hazardous maroon (301-plus). State College is forecasted to have “unhealthy” air Thursday with a 165 Air Quality Index, which means even members of the general public are at risk of experiencing health effects from the air pollution.
An unhealthy 165, which falls on the third-highest level (red), is significantly higher than State College’s average index of below 30.
Air quality alerts have become a somewhat annual affair in Pennsylvania, thanks to wildfires north of the state and the subsequent particulate matter. The last recorded alert in Centre County came last August, and multiple alerts were issued in 2023.
The State College Spikes even canceled a game in 2023 due to an Air Quality Index that reached 136 in the late afternoon and was expected to worsen.
According to the state DEP, State College area’s Air Quality Index is expected to improve some Friday — with a predicted 130 index. By Saturday, it’s anticipated to fall to more moderate levels (below 101), where guidelines state that only those unusually sensitive to particle pollution need to consider reducing time outdoors.
For more information and updated conditions in the State College area, which boasts an air pollution monitor, the state DEP encourages residents to check AirNow.gov.
AQI Basics
An overview of the six color-coded categories of the Air Quality Index can be found below and was taken from AirNow:
- Green (Good) — 0 to 50 — Air quality is satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.
- Yellow (Moderate) — 51 to 100 — Air quality is acceptable. However, there may be a risk for some people, particularly those who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.
- Orange (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups) — 101 to 150 — Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is less likely to be affected.
- Red (Unhealthy) — 151 to 200 — Some members of the general public may experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.
- Purple (Very Unhealthy) — 201 to 300 — Health alert: The risk of health effects is increased for everyone.
- Maroon (Hazardous) — 301 and higher — Health warning of emergency conditions: Everyone is more likely to be affected.
This story was originally published July 15, 2026 at 9:12 PM.
